Windu's Hunter
by GradGirl2010
Summary: It's as they say. "All good things must come to an end." Too bad. Tanya liked being a Jedi. She liked Windu too. So much she never saw the knife in her back coming. Good news for Dooku. "When something's too good to be true, it usually is." Oh well. Bounty Hunting was calling her name anyway. And just in time. The war of Knights and Hunters is about to begin.
1. Two Years On My Own

**Windu's Hunter**

 _ **It's as they say. "All good things must come to an end." Too bad. Tanya liked being a Jedi. She liked Windu too. So much she never saw the knife in her back coming. Good news for Dooku. "When something's too good to be true, it usually is." Oh well. Bounty Hunting was calling her name anyway. And just in time. The war of Knights and Hunters is about to begin.**_

 **xxx**

 **Two Years On My Own**

 **Okay. So, here's how this is going to work. This will still take place during season 1. Because of a special plan I have for season 2, or am at least hoping it will pan out, there will be a lot of bounty hunting here. And you will see excerpts of episodes from other seasons. Remember, Clone Wars isn't Chronological.**

 **The way I ended Padawan Hunter wasn't how I intended to end it. It just panned out that way. Hopefully this pans out well.**

 **xxx**

 _ **Sometimes the root of your pain was a seed planted by another**_

 _Wow. An amazing turn of events. Seriously. I never saw this happening. She was so happy with them. In spite of what that Korun did. I thought she'd never leave. Though, to be honest, I shouldn't be surprised in the least this happened. After all, Tanya and I, we can never forgive Mace Windu for taking our dad from us. But when push came to shove and she tried to leave, she was just dragged right back. Tanya found a way to tolerate him. Though I doubt that's the same as forgiving. The way I heard it, she and he were at each other's throats for a while._

 _Tanya's always been the 'adult' between the two of us. Her ability to 'let things go' astounded me. This kid stole my favorite lunch box a long time ago - I'm still looking for the Lasat bastard just so I can shove an entire pudding cup down his throat. Even when Dad died and her mind was gone she managed to hang on to what last bit of sanity she had to convince me to stay behind._

 **xxx**

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

 _ **Battle of Geonosis Bloodshed Coming to a Close**_

It came from everywhere. Hurling like a bolt of lightning. Blaster fire, the uniform trekking of droids, and the shriek of light sabers cutting clean through their adversaries. From every direction the battle raged on. Dust blanketed the air, orbiting a battle that marked the beginning of the clone wars.

Horrified, terrified screams filled the ancestral Geonosian arena. The stands rumbled like thunder. Rampaging feet racing like bats out of Hell to escape the carnage leaking from the confines of the dirt arena. Caged animals lied dead. Jedi, droids, and bystanders were dead in the sand.

It all seemed insignificant. The screams drowned out. The fleeing bodies passed right by two adolescent children staring in a trance. Their hands were joined tightly. Glossy eyes longing to burst with tears. Two warriors - a Mandalorian Bounty Hunter of the highest caliber, and a Jedi with skills and talents equal to his mastery of the force - waged a fight that seemed to earn center stage.

A purple lightsaber repelling blaster fire. A roar of flame erupting from a funnel. Punch after punch, and kicks the warriors fought. The Bounty Hunter seemed to have the upper hand. The Jedi was going to die. The two children were happy. They were all going to come out of this, and go back home to live life. That is...until the unthinkable happened.

Neither child understood. Had they blinked? Did they look away? In the split of a second, their father's head fell from his shoulders. The helmet he adorned still on his head. At that moment...everything went black.

The Coliseum was emptying. Patrons were running, and the Jedi's battle was taking them somewhere across the desert. Meanwhile, two children mourned their father's still warm body.

"What are you talking about?!" Boba's voice cracked, hugging his father's helmet with his severed head inside. Tanya was staring into the setting sun. The dimmer the day, the darker her glare got. "He was my father too! That Korun took him FROM ME TOO! I'm not sucking my thumb while he's alive!"

"I'm not telling you to." She replied. Her voice...it wasn't Tanya talking, but she was still standing in front of him. Boba's grief couldn't hide her _friends._

"Sure's to Hell sounds like it!" Boba's grief did, however, make him unreasonable. The way he was, - inexperienced - he'd never have lasted a second against a Jedi Youngling. "He has to pay! That Korun needs to pay!" Boba couldn't hold it in. He just broke, started crying. He was gone. Their father was gone, and his sister was about to leave too. He didn't realize for how long.

"Master Windu."

"What?"

"That old man in the sky seat called him Master Windu. A Jedi no doubt on his way to hide on Coruscant."

"Then let's-"

"Patience!" She roared. Boba flinched. "We must...be patient." She grabbed half her face, massaging the demon into submission. Boba saw the color in her eyes flickering like a glitch. She was fighting to stay in control. "We strike now, we'll be eviscerated."

"They just lost a good chunk of their people! They're vulnerable!"

"Am I vulnerable when I'm on edge?" She had Boba there. Her judgment might slip, but she's paranoid when she's on her toes. "Let's let them lick their wounds. Let them feel warm and safe in their beds, hiding behind their senate." She licked her lips, smiling hungrily. "It'll be all the more satisfying when we take it from HIM."

 **xxx**

 _Me and Tanya scoured the galaxies for months after the incident. I was obsessed with finding Windu while Tanya seemed to take each day at a time. One day the obsession caught up to me, and I wound up in the hospital. The doctors said it was due to fatigue and malnutrition. I was on one of those feeding tubes for weeks. Just long enough for Tanya's frequent visits to completely stop._

 _Scroop filled me in. Tanya was on her way to Naboo. She tracked down Mace Windu - get this - 'escorting' Senator Padme Amidala. The odds that our old target would be guarded by our father's killer - not gonna calculate._

 _Oh yeah! Didn't you know? Senator Amidala was our intended target. Mine, Dad's, and Tanya's. You could say she's part of the reason we were called to Geonosis. Her and the horde of angry Jedi. Probably should have mentioned that first. But yeah. Dad accepted a job from some guy named Tyrannus. No clue who that is. Don't really care._

 **xxx**

 _ **Before the Battle of Geonosis**_

It was falling on midday Monday. The ever predictable Coruscant rush hour flooded the air ways like a swarm of locust bees. In their rented hotel room on the lower west side, Jango Fett called a meeting to discuss an important mission he required all hands on deck in order to accomplish. He found no cause for worry. Because he had the best team a bounty hunter could ask for.

"Huh? Who's Senator Amidala?" A ten year old Boba asked, itching his combed head of hair. He finished fashioning elbow and knee pads to his combat suit.

"Yeah, Dad." A 14 year old Tanya joined her father and brother at the dining room table, finishing her French braided ponytail. "Why is this Lady so important?" She zipped her suit, leaving a gap at the base of her neck.

Jango chuckled, charmed by his children's ignorance and impatience. "She, my beloved children, is our target for tonight." He set a projector in the middle of the table. An image fanned a circling bust of Padme Amidala. "Padme Amidala - Queen of Naboo, as well as a Senator representing the Chommel Sector."

"Wow. She looks barely old enough to be my elder sister." Tanya snorted, tossing a grape in her mouth. She wasn't impressed by the senator. A royal of all things.

"Well, Tanya, you and Boba are hardly ones to disparage age to deny the actual threat." Jango slyly countered, bouncing his brow. Boba and Tanya sank their heads in their shoulders, blushing bashfully.

"So..." Boba trailed off, looking side to side, "What threat does a prissy princess hold?"

"No kidding. No disrespect, Dad, but I'm sure that pampered prat wouldn't survive long on her own." Tanya shoved a handful of grapes in her mouth.

"Senator Amidala is young, she's brash, but she holds the ear of many within the senate. As well as their confidence. She has allied nations for the hope of peace. To that end she has made powerful friends...and enemies." Boba and Tanya shuddered at the low rumble. They were excited. "Her influence has spread like a wildfire. Her talks of peace are reaching ears in the Confederacy. Before long it will too late to snuff out."

"That's why we're being asked to snuff it out for...someone?" Tanya tilted her head, arching a brow.

"Correct."

"What's wrong with peace?" Tanya quizzed. Guilt mixed with her confusion. "Satine and Notluwiski want it. Dr. Carver's wholehog on it too."

"Hondo even said he'd go for peace if he got spice out of it." Boba added, finding Hondo's business spine distasteful.

"Truth is there is nothing wrong with peace." Jango admitted, pleased Tanya asked. "Unfortunately, there are powers that be who are getting rich off the war. To have it stop..."

Jango didn't have to finish his sentence before Boba voiced his disdain. "Making profit off taking innocent lives, and ruining those who don't take part. It's disgusting." He spat at the ground.

"Well, for now, if we want to stay out of the line of fire, we must go where the cash flow takes us." Tanya and Boba slumped in their chairs. Jango was far from speaking as a coward. He was thinking three steps ahead. As a father, those three steps become six when considering his family. Bounty hunters they may be, it was hard Boba and Tanya to silence their humanity. There's a reason Boba and Tanya only kill the corrupt. The sun shines brighter with each one killed. Warmth shot up their hands. Jango tenderly wrapped a hand to theirs, drawing them in. "I'd never ask you two to do what you hate. I ask because there is not a pair in the entire universe that I trust to have my back."

"We know, Dad." Boba whined dismally. Tanya bobbed her head, lying on her folded arms. The two sighed in defeat. "What's the job?"

"My employer wishes for Senator Amidala's demise. We are going to grant his wish." It was done, and he would no longer accept debates. "It needs to be done quick, clean, and leaves no trace of our presence."

"Is that why you had me scope out that weird tower in the east district?" Boba questioned curiously.

About 13 days ago, Boba was tasked by Jango to study a penthouse on the more ritzy side of town. It stood as tall as the sky, the spire could almost scraped the sky. Utilizing an astromech he rewired, Boba had the droid download full schematics of the entire tower. Weaknesses, vulnerable areas, a means to infiltrate and exit with little to no suspicion of intrusion.

"GAH!" Tanya smashed her palms in her face. "No wonder I suffered endless migraines memorizing those stupid blueprints!" Boba and Tanya studied those schematics day and night, for hours on end. Ventilation shafts, escape routes, security measures, and the ever popular plexi-glass that protects the structure. Supposedly, RPG'S are repelled. A shame that theory would survive another day of being disproved. RPG's would give them away. Not that Boba's trigger finger wasn't itchy. "Even if we get in there, we can't just shoot her and run." Tanya objected to the less than eloquent scenarios of the plan. "Not to be skeptical, but I doubt we'd get far."

"Which is why I had a mutual friend provide us with these." Jango changed images on the projection. Boba and Tanya oohed and ahhed at the silver centipedes. "Their venom is enough to drop a full sized elephant in five minutes. The senator will die in seconds." That would explain the shaking box by the table.

"Dr. Carver does know you have those?" Boba interrogated. Carver's not the kind of guy you _commandeer_ property from. Boba tried to steal a vial of itching powder to prank a kid pestering him. Carve laced the vial with Toad Warts. His hand was trapped in its own plastic bubble for weeks before he was even allowed to wear a glove.

Jango cleared his throat, flustered by Boba's intuition. "I can't plan for every situation." Boba and Tanya groaned dreadfully, sinking under the table. Carver was going to kill them when he found out. If he hasn't already.

"I sense a disturbance in the force." Tanya mocked the Jedi, wiggling her fingers. "I sense our heads are gonna roll."

"Then we'd better get moving." Jango winked. "I'm sure the Jedi finding us will be worse than-"

"NOT EVEN CLOSE!" Boba and Tanya barked. Jango laughed at their insight. If they survived their next couple of jobs, he should consider avoiding Argias for a year or two.

 **xxx**

 _Hard to imagine, right? The three of us chilling, laughing. The biggest threats to our lives the friends we kept. Hondo was a 24/7 drunk hazard. I'm surprised his antics didn't kill us all. I'm getting off track, aren't I? Yeah. I am. For good reason. You all know how the rest of the story goes. Unlike you, though, I'll never be able to forget. The memory was etched in my head with a laser._

 _Later that same night, Dad sent Tanya into the penthouse first. She's nimble and flexible - perks of being a feline. Those ears came with a quirk. By nature she can hear well. With the force, she practically hears across planets. She found a place above Amidala's bed where she could listen and watch for uninvited guests._

 _Meanwhile, I borrowed a pair of experimental anti-gravity boots from my friend, Ratchet. He adjusted them for not only scaling and sliding down walls, but 'supposedly' I'll be able to pull off amazing jumps. He said if I test them and report bugs I can keep 'em. The fun Tanya and I had racing across rooftops. MOVING ON!_

 _I lowered myself just enough to where I saw in Amidala sleeping. The window pan was automated. The control just to my left. A few keystroke on my wrist computer and that window was sliding down for me._

 _By the time dad entered and had the centipedes crawling over Amidala, Tanya sensed someone coming in a mad dash._

 **xxx**

" _Nightstick approaching! I repeat - Nightstick approaching!_ " Nightstick was the codename for Jedi. Mocking their lightsabers. They are, by all accounts, giant nightsticks.

The Jedi burst in. He used the force and killed the centipedes, waking up a frightened Senator to the fray. Boba flipped up, pressing his chameleon gloves to the wall. He touched the com on his Mandalorian Helmet, calling in for their ride.

Jango snapped the case closed, taking a second to see who interfered. A total kid sporting a braided rat tail. Young enough to be Jango's kid. He was a sapling carrying a fancy new toy the way he squared off to Jango. Flexing muscle still underdevelopment.

"Put that down, boy, before you hurt yourself."

"Step away from the Senator and surrender!" Tanya snapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a laugh. That line didn't belong to his squeaky voice.

"Tell me, Senator, was it his good looks that made him your security candidate?" Jango teased. His boast lost luster when he saw Padme attempting to call for help from the intercom.

"Sorry!" A knife sliced a inches between her dialing fingers, killing the intercom. "This phone's out of order!" A hooded and masked Tanya sniggering at her. Padme staggered yelping, holding the breast of her nightgown, feeling exposed.

Boba, still waiting for their not-so-swiftly approaching ride, tuned his helmet for law enforcement chatter. He caught a station of interest. " _This is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi! Reports of a break in at the home of Senator Padme Amidala! Requesting immediate back up!_ "

" _Roger that, Master Kenobi! We're en route! ETA five minutes!_ "

"Time to make tracks." Boba dangled upside down, catching the staring contest. "The plan's botched!" Boba howled from outside. All heads snapped to him. "Authorities and another Jedi are on the way!"

"You're not going anywhere!" The kid Jedi edged forward. Tanya, to keep her force powers secret, launched a thin, hair woven grapple cable. The hooks bit the Jedi's wrist. He howled, dropping the lightsaber.

"ANAKIN!" The senator cried.

Tanya cartwheeled across the room, springing both feet in his chest. _Anakin_ hit a podium. A vase shattered on his head. "Save the play acting for the nursery, Junior! Let the professionals do their WORK!" She stomped on his lightsaber like trash.

"Professional?! Don't you need to be taller to be considered an intern?" The daze hadn't slowed his sharp tongue. "Come talk to me in ten years when your voice at least cracks."

"Ten years, huh? Good idea..." Padme lifted a blunt bust over her head. Tanya's right ear flicked. Jango fired a wrist dart in her neck, knocking her unconscious. "Maybe by then you won't need your babysitter to back you up."

"Ride's here!" Boba took the hover car's wheel. Jango jumped in beside him. Tanya perched to the window and sprang in her seat. The authorities were barely arriving on scene. Boba threw the car in overdrive and disappeared into traffic.

 **xxx**

 _When I first met Tanya...ha...I was a year old. Drool hanging by my chin, diapers needing changing. I don't remember the initial meeting. Not that it really mattered. What I treasure is the years we spent together. All I recall is loving her, and idolizing her. I never questioned the difference in species. She was and is my older sister. My best friend and rival. When she's happy, I'm happy. When she's mad, I'd do whatever takes to make her laugh again. When she was sad, I'd find the bastard that made her sad and pummeled him. The reverse was true too. No one ever got away with making us upset. Man. Thinking back on that, I've yet to punch Windu in the face, then rip his heart out and serve it to his fellow Jedi on a plate._

 _A funny thing to be saying, right? After all, Tanya and I fought not too long ago. It enraged me to no comprehensible end that she joined them. Became his Padawan. But, in a strange way, I was happy. She'd found those who could...give back what was taken. Don't get me wrong. Tanya was happy with me and Dad. But his death sent her spiraling. Windu became Kashjeen._

 _Heh. Our meeting at the prison was rather...less than heartwarming. A lot happens in two years. Well, I guess it would be three. Seeing as how that's when dad was taken from us. It struck me hard. Watching Dad's head roll from his shoulders. But Tanya...Tanya seemed to break. I saw her mind just shatter into millions of pieces. That stare...I'll never forget it. It was the same stare she would have when blood pooled at her feet...before she flew into a rampage. Only this time, she turned cold instead of manic._

 _That smile. BRR. I hate that smile. It meant death would be her right hand for the days to come._

 **xxx**

 _ **Present Day**_

Night cozily enveloped Coruscant. Lights flooding the night, horns echoing well past the heavens. The bustling beauty of the industrial planet, savored by sparkling grey feline eyes. Beyond that city, standing as the peak of peace and prosperity, was the Jedi Temple. A forked tongue lathered hungry, dry lips. Fangs shown in a malicious, toothy grin. Below the cat ear black hair and a long blue and black striped tail swayed in the flow of the powerful breeze. Fingers lovingly stroked the width of a kopis sword. A small drop of water splashed to the feline reflection.

"Hm?" A black fingerless gloved hand reached to an eye, drying a tear trail with the two middle fingers. She scoffed derisively. "This will never do." She folded a black booted foot to the skyscraper ledge, scaling to both feet. Two straps hugging her leg house a pair of switchblades. "Sorrow? Regret? How unbecoming…" She purred amorously. Black bell sleeves, attached by a stitch to the black blouse, decorated by a three inch wide strip of big silver scales flapped as hand dusted off black shorts. The long, parted open skirt wafted in the breeze. "You abandoned those silly sentiments, remember?" A brown X band holster clipped to her hips, supporting the dual kopis blades. Tightening the fingerless gloves, the numeral for 8 peered through a square cutout on top of the palm. "They'll only distract us when future jobs drag us back." A silver hoop firmly held the V in her sleeveless top close, obscuring the danger proof vest beneath. "Just be patient, Tanya. You'll have vengeance soon enough."

"Found what we're looking for!" A young man hooted. The smile faded to a scowl. _Such horrible timing. 'Shut up!'_ Grey eyes filled to vibrant purple. _Never exact your rage on him!_ A jet pack cooled to a landing, drifting Mandalorian battle boots to the roof. The armored figure revealed a curved, rectangular bar. A manifest materialized from a thin slot. He ripped his helmet off, revealing the face of an excited Boba. _Save it for those who deserve it._ "Turns out Lightraide's being kept in the maximum security suite of the prison."

"The basement?" Tanya inquired stunned, arching a brow at him. She glowered with a nostalgic groan, shuffling her shoulders. "That's a familiar claustrophobia." She moaned, turning in the general direction.

The basement is what the level lowest levels of the prison are called. The name was beyond literal. Ten extra levels running who knows how deep below ground. The most dangerous, insane, and depraved of criminal are confined to those blood soaked halls. Their only light of the flickering, dim, or inoperable lights implanted in hollowed holes. Interactions comes from the incessantly echoing wails, scraps of cloth with words written in some sort of fluid. Or, if the guards are feeling bold, when the try to sneak in the rooms and _take advantage_ of those they think won't fight back. Certain guards met by Tanya will never have kids. Fresh air is when the slot whisks open for food to be thrown at you. That food - rats flee from it. Rare - as in once or twice a year - will they be allowed to venture to the upper levels.

"That's extreme. Lightraide's not exactly dangerous." Tanya touched her chin, debating on Law Enforcement's decision for such extreme measures. One reason stood out.

"He's not the only Crimson Knight down there." Boba's intuition never ceased to astound her. He always said what she was thinking. the vice versa. "Keith Lightraide is imprisoned on level 5-B. The same as Alexei Shroder."

Tanya's eyes widened. Not in horror, but in a dumbfounded epiphany. "Number V - the Commandant - if here on Coruscant?" She groaned, ravaging fingers in her shortened hair. "Lightraide, Shroder, and Ziro are all in the same pace. This planet attracts a lot, doesn't it?"

Shroder and Lightraide aside, Ziro's presence bothers her. two nights ending up in the same prison is not a coincidence. Their influence manipulates the most honorable of enforcers to do their bidding. Even keeping their fellow Knights close by. But Ziro in the same prison, just on the upper levels? A coincidence? Or does Ziro deal in shady mercenaries?

"There's one more thing." Boba handed Tanya the manifest. He changed the screen to a sort of field report. Colorful blips controlled the grid. But crimson red blips held the advantage.

"What...am I looking at?" She muttered in shock. The Crimson blips were converging in patterns to planets across the rim. They were aggressive.

"They're moving in waves. The Crimson Knights are steadily coming out of hiding." He summarized the grid for her, tracing a finger along their pattern. "The planets where they have been sighted are the site of their old bases. Bases long since destroyed because of the Clone Wars. And there's only one reason a dog goes back to its old house."

"They're rebuilding." Tanya declared.

Pantora, Umbara, Tatooine, Naboo - these movements depicted the behavior of the Crimson Knights. It's far from a secret that Knights left the order to lead their own lives or to escape. The same is said for the Creed. The members all willingly left, only to come together when their toes are stepped on, or if a job brings them there.

What's also not a secret is that hideouts were arranged so the warring organizations could control areas. A double edged sword. Human, Alien, no matter the race - an animal instinct to go home, seek shelter in familiar territory, is basic. All one needs is an insurmountable amount of patience, and enemies become moths ready to be burned.

"Lightraide." A thought struck Tanya like a bell. "He defected. A punishable crime. Vanderpool and Thrax attacked him to either kill him or recruit him."

"Shroder arranged to have him be his cellmate. You can imagine what he's doing to change Lightraide's mind." Boba tapped the screen, bringing up two month old graph. Two months ago during Tanya's mission at Xansa prison. A red rings surrounded that prison. "The Knights were there for Lightraide and in a perfect position to attack long before those two Jedi and reinforcements appeared."

"What stopped them?"

Boba smirked haughtily. "Rumors spread that a certain cat eared assassin lost her mind and killed Vanderpool." Tanya's cheeks flushed, then she pouted at the view. "There was also a rumor The Race Slayer was walking around."

"Wilhuff Tarkin. His posturing is more dangerous than his actual fighting." Tanya scoffed. And the other figure involved in Xansa's chaos. "Finis Valorum - the former Chancellor. He's a friend of Lightraide's. Knew he was a Knight."

"You think Valorum was in on-"

"No. Valorum's righteousness and bleeding heart wouldn't let himself be suckered in by them." She said it with absolute disgust. As if being friends with Lightraide was the only real crime. No. What disgusted her was that he kept it hidden. Putting her three best friends in danger, and almost costing a a stiff - but very dedicated - soldier his life. "All it proves his how far up the food chain the Knights have climbed. Whether or not they'll lean on Valorum or Lightraide is a moot point at the moment. Xansa prison was only a foothold."

"You're right." Boba deactivated the manifest, putting it away. "If they've been climbing, that means there's an endgame in mind. And they aren't going to let a minor setback get in their way." Tanya nodded, glaring daggers at the city. "The question is, how do we plan to stop them when we don't know what that endgame is?"

"Take each day one at a time."

"Huh?"

"If you go hunting and shout you're going to kill, the prey scramble and hide, making your work harder. Other prey in the area then learn of the approaching danger." Her lips parted in a rabid grin. "Discretion is what makes the kill all the more satisfying Not even wild animals turn a head at an idling presence."

"Meaning what, exactly?"

Tanya pressed a hand on his head, lovingly ruffling his hair. "Meaning you and I have a lot of jobs to catch up on. Plus friends and family on a rampage because of our vanishing act. " She winked, And if we happen to catch word of our friends in red," She licked her lips, "Follow the tail to the serpent head."

"What about the Nightsticks?" Tanya's ears bounced. "Boba narrowed his eyes, demanding a straight answer. "Don't you think they'll catch wind of your _work_?" He used the term loosely. "What will you do should they find you?"

"Let them." Tanya shrugged. She slid her hand, returning to the view. The Jedi Temple lied just at the edge of the horizon. Fire boiled her blood, returning her to her grey eyed rage. "Let them come. Let them find me. Let them try to pull me from the frigid lake."

' _The thinning ice she thought supported her cracked and shattered, plunging her deep within the frigid lake of her darkest torments. The shadows eating the hazy light_ '

"I'll grab hold of the hands they lend," She reached toward the moon. ' _The hand of her former master reaching desperately, latching onto her wrist..._ ' Tanya closed her hand, her grey eyes ignited by the moon. Her toothy grin bearing fangs.' _Her eyes flew open . The demonic grey narrowing to slits. Her hand closed to the Korun's._ ' "And I'll drag them all to Hell!" ' _She pulled Windu in, throwing him into a fiery pit where he turned to ash in despair._ '

 **xxx**

 _The past two years and some odd months were brutal without Tanya and dad there to back me up. It was weird. The isolation was stifling. Suffocating. No matter where I go or who I meet, the world is kept at arm's length. Everyone has a knife they wish to stab in my back. Words are lies. Smiles fake. No one is who they seem to be. Tanya...is this how you felt when Kashjeen took your parents? Was there a dome placed around you, forever making you feel alone?_

 _Windu stole both my father and sister. He severed my father's head, then he won my sister with pretty words. Then he has the nerve to drag her around on a leash, play on her vulnerabilities, only to send back to the pound. Can't believe I allowed her to stay with him for, what, eight months - nine? Seems longer than it actually was. I should have gotten her out of there sooner. Convinced her that Windu would only hurt her in the end. Maybe then...maybe then she wouldn't be so broken._

 _Why can nothing return as the way it once was? What do I have to give - to sacrifice - just for a reset? To go back to the days where the three of us would plot in the kitchen over waffles? I miss those days. I really do. I miss Dad, Tanya - all of it. One day...we'll all be together again._

 **That's it for chapter one for now.**


	2. Getting Back in Sync

**Getting Back in Sync**

 _One never forgets, just becomes out of practice_

 **xxx**

A two year separation. For a pair well away from being legal adults, being ripped apart from your only family can have a profound effect. Torn apart by desires for vengeance, the walls of justice imprisoned Tanya Fett, barring her from ever being reunited with her younger brother, Boba Fett. Circumstances forcing her to become to Padawan of her father's killer, the separation of the Fett children became wider. Alone and unbalanced by his family's removal, Boba has begrudgingly been thrust into the harshness of the unforgiving world. Under the duress of death he pushed himself beyond his physical and mental limits, going above and beyond to get what he wants and damn what anyone else wants or thinks. Truly he has been living up to the number IX tattooed atop his right palm. But even the best of warriors - despite what a society has deemed them - loses practice.

Being alone has significantly changed his fighting style. Taught him to rely on the eyes behind his head, and the ears he's had to cast miles in each direction. The same went for Tanya. Allied to the Jedi or with clones watching her back, Tanya had to rely on herself during her time in prison. Often times she would reserve her trust. Saved her from being stabbed...too many times. Reunited after their long isolation had a very pronounced effect on the Fett children. Certain aspects remained the same. Nevertheless, mentally and physically both have changed. Their techniques, fighting styles, methods of operating - unfamiliar territory. They would need to fix that before getting back into the field.

 **xxx**

Planet Veldin wasn't all desert. There's 11% foliage scattered across the planet. Some of ridiculous huge, cascading in every direction at the foot of hills. Ruins from a lost civilization were safeguarded by one particular gaggle of trees and wilderness. Difficult to get to, making it the perfect hiding place, and stomping ground for those looking to get away.

The unforgiving sun was broiling the decaying stone, turning it into a stifling oven. B1 and B2 battle droids scoured the ruins, traveling in groups of three. The coolant circulating throughout their tubing was working over time. The metal plating was scalding hot in the first two hours of their shift. Levels of the ruins were covered. The droids scanners set to detect any motion or noise.

A figure tucked and rolled. A B1 droid heard shuffling, and turned to find nothing. Its fellow droids investigated, curious of their comrades sudden halt. Their thumping, metal steps vibrated the ground. Boba, baking in his armor, crawled on his stomach behind a stunted stone wall. The three droids peered over the wall. They found nothing, unawares Boba was hiding behind an erect slab. He poked his head around. The droids were lingering, actually taking the time to search. To his chagrin, a trio of B2 droids were approaching to his left.

"I need to think of something quick!" Boba hissed at himself. Having himself be caught between a rock and firing squad was not on his list for the day. The three B1 droids wailed in agony, followed by a clattering thud. Boba twisted back around. He lifted his helmet to make sure he wasn't seeing things. The B1's were cut to sparking pieces. Clean cuts at their heads and torsos. A roaming shadow on the ground captured his attention to a stretch of stone running along pillars. Tanya, wearing her black ensemble - unwise in this sort of heat - saluted two fingers, and stalked on her way to her next line of victims. "That was quick." Boba climbed a wall to a flight of stairs. He dropped to his back. The B2's marched on by, completely oblivious to their dismantled comrades. Boba sat up fast. He whipped his rifle around his shoulder, and locked the scope of the droids. He waited until the droids' heads were aligned, and with one shot he offlined them all. "Six down, 20 to go." Boba boasted.

 **xxx**

Tanya stalked bent at the knees on her high road, weaving her gaze side to side. Battle droids were a convenient source of security with a fatal flaw. They never look up or down when patrolling. That doesn't mean they won't get smart if she didn't watch her step.

A sort of grotto was a story or two below ground level. Tanya spied from her perch two teams of droids skulking about in the shade provided by the main ground. She needed a piece of that. Amphibians don't do too well in potentially stroking out heat. She dropped to the wide open walkway above the grotto. She looked around to make sure she wasn't seen, then climbed over and dropped to a monument of a Veldin deity. Only a few seconds in the shade and it was as if someone turned on the AC. As much as she enjoyed it, Tanya needed to get back to work.

The squads of droids changed up. Four B2's and three Droidekas patrolled the tranquil area. The B2's would be simple to deal with. The Droidekas would create trouble for her. Their shields make them all but difficult to destroy. She doesn't carry blasters, so there's no way for her to launch a long distance attack. The impulse to retreat topside for a better plan appealed to her. Trudging steps coming to a halt above dissuaded her. By the booming, she guessed B2's. She hissed through gritted teeth.

"Not how I want to get caught." She frothed. Her brow quirked at a laser locked to a Droideka sweet spot. Boba was in a prime position from the forest line ahead of her. Boba glided the laser over the three, then got off three clean shots. The Droidekas dropped one at a time, putting the B2's on high alert. "My turn?" Tanya flipped into the air, landing perfectly on a shoulder of two droids. Tanya stabbed her swords through their head, wrenching them up and tearing the circuits out. The final droid aimed. Tanya sprang seconds before it shot. Landing behind it she stabbed it through the back, rendering the power core offline. "Done and done." She sheathed the blades.

 **xxx**

Boba scanned the area really quick, ensuring Tanya was safe to let her guard down. By all accounts, the droids were focused on the upper levels, precisely where he needed to be. His scope found Tanya as she waved gratefully. Boba chuckled, then holstered the rifle behind his back.

There were 13 droids left. And they were running out of time. Time to bring the droids to them. Boba pressed a button on his shoulder straps. He pushed off the ground, a jetpack launching him into the air. Boba moved his scouter over his eye. The few remaining droids were in one general area. If he timed it just right, he might be able to bring the ground crumbling-

Tanya force jumped out of the grotto, landing center stage amongst the fray. She rubbed her hands together then slammed them hard on the ground. Five B2's were shot in the air. Boba smacked his helmet, absolutely dumbstruck by her idiotic move. The B2's hit the floor, just to get right back up again. Tanya clamped her hands to her head, ogling Boba dumbstruck, moving her hands between him the droids. Boba shrugged his hands and gestured at what she did and the droids. Neither one knew what the other was thinking. Opportunities were blown miles away.

The five B2's had Tanya dead to rights. She spat at the ground. Planting her feet, she slowly raised her hands. The B2's moved in closer. She threw her hands out, repulsing the droids several feet away. Four B1's and Four Droidekas started converging from both sides. The B2's, stubborn as they are, started to get back up. Tanya could jump into the grotto. She'd be a sitting dork. There was nowhere for her to jump either.

Three blinking metal orbs rolled at her feet. Thermal grenades! Tanya gaped at Boba, he was flailing his hands like crazy. The blinking blared faster. They were about to go off. Tanya levitated two and sent them flying for the B1's and Droidekas. She gathered as much force at her feet as she could and launched into the air. The grenades exploded in tandem, taking the droids and most of the upper ruins into the grotto.

Tanya lost her equilibrium in the air. She never figured out how to land from a force jump. Boba swooped in and caught her by the by the arms, flying them both to the safety of the ruin's temple. Tanya released a breath of relief. That was a close shave.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!" Boba roared, throwing his helmet down. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! Jumping in and exposing yourself!"

"What was _I_ thinking?! Why did you turn into a flying garden gnome?!" Tanya shot back.

"I had a plan!" Boba jammed fingers in his chest. "Wait for the droids to cross paths and take them out quickly and not so quietly!" He bounced a grenade in his hand. "That way, you and I can make an escape!"

"You're not the only one who had a plan!" Tanya relieved her sweaty arms of the sleeves, relishing in the breeze drying the sweat. "I set those droids up for you all nice and helpless, and you blow it by freezing!"

"I didn't freeze! I was confused as to why you would do something so stupid!"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you!" Boba shoved her. "You have the force, but you're not perfect!"

"And yet I'm leagues better than you!" She shoved him back. "So say the numbers!" She mockingly flexed her left palm.

"Those numbers don't mean squat if you're dead!"

"Might explain why you nearly blew me to kingdom come!" With it on her mind, the tip of her tail stung badly. The blast torched her tail. "By the way, the timing on those was a little short, don'tcha think?!"

"I was expecting you to jump out of the way! Not throw them then jump!"

"I had nowhere to run!"

"I was flying above you!"

"For all I know it was for your blowing, sink 'em scheme!"

"That is enough!" Boba and Tanya hitched their roars, turning their heads stairwell in the floor. An imposing, elderly gentleman with blond hair ascended into the temple, wearing a disappointed scowl on his brow, and a long white lab coat. Tanya and Boba grunted gruffly, moving away before they punched each other in front of the man. The old man's glaring auburn eyes bore holes in the adolescent pair, heightened by his rectangular glasses. His well trimmed beard and mustache ruffled as his lips tensed. "I am shocked and appalled by the both of you! This exercise was a joint effort, and you're placing sole blame?"

"Blame her, Carver!" Boba shrieked. Tanya's jaw dropped in disbelief. "She thinks because the force is on her side she's invincible!"

"As if! Who's the cowboy in armor hiding behind long range weapons?!"

"You saying I can't get up close and personal?"

"I'm saying you'd be up close and beaten before you could blink!" Carver grabbed a fistful of their hair and smashed their heads together. "OW!" They dropped to a knee, cradling their heads.

"Jango must be turning in his grave!" Carver spat. He's too old to deal with squabbling children. "The fact remains is you both are out of practice with one another. Out of sync." Boba and Tanya, massaging their lumps, gave Carver their undivided, and baffled attention. "You both were separated for almost three years. That is plenty of time for you two grow, develop new techniques, and adopt routines of dealing with obstacles. None of which you both bothered to share. You merely assumed you'd be a cohesive team."

Since finding Tanya over a month ago on Incarses, Boba and Tanya used most of their time to reconnect. Rekindle their relationship, and make amends for their outburst at that hotel. Going out on a job sounded like the perfect family therapy. Unfortunately, Tanya had an all points bulletin out on her at the time. Her 'master' was adamant about finding her. Convinced she was kidnapped, harmed, or killed during the Crimson Knight's raid on Xansas prison. All excuses to feed his denial that his precious Padawan wised up and grew tired of him. Be that as it may, going out of a job would be risky. And Tanya refused to let Windu and Boba be in breathing distance.

In the meantime they lied low, letting things cool off. Tanya managed to cap her 'better half' and keep her locked up. Boba, on the other hand, steadily chipped away the shield keeping Tanya at bay. He couldn't trust the sister that allied herself to his father's killer. But she was handed back to him on a silver platter. Her loyalties to the Jedi and Republic shattered. He...he can't jeopardize that. Not again.

Tanya carried the same insecurities. She and Boba were walking time bombs. The wrong thing will set either person off, and separate them again. She expected Boba's reaction when he learned she was Windu's Padawan. But it didn't ease the hurt. She betrayed him twice. Things just never were the same after Jango died. Could Boba or Tanya say they would have stayed together in spite of all that's happened?

What if's were always annoying. A distraction that wanes confidence and self-esteem. Boba and Tanya were bogged down by those what if's for far too long. They needed another distraction, a sure fire way to reignite their passion for Bounty Hunting and unbreakable teamwork. First they needed a place to work on their issues without distractions. That's when Veldin came to mind. Carver's knowledge of the planet would go a long way in helping them. Of course he was surprised to see them. Last he heard, Boba was on Orto Plutonia, and Tanya was with Windu. They promised to explain later, but they needed to blow off steam. Which is where Carver showed them the ruins.

Carver was interested if Boba and Tanya still had their old pannasch. He acquired a few battle droids over the years. Resembled and reprogrammed them for any number of uses. He had some to spare, so he let them borrow a few. As an added treat, he put them on the clock. Cross the forest and defeat the droids in a timely manner, and he'd reward them. They took to the bait like candy. However, their teamwork made it sour. It was good at first, but quickly went bad when they started to improvise.

"Improvising is a double edged sword, but a commonality in the field." Carver reminded the two. It is not wrong, but can cost them if not properly timed. "Tanya! You knew there was no means of escape, yet you threw yourself in the middle and 'expected' Boba to follow suit!" Tanya's ears drooped sadly. "Boba! Blowing up a location? What if you would have brought the whole place down, and civilians were nearby?" Boba groaned, blushing disgracefully. "The two of you failed when you sacrificed communications, and decided to work as if solo! You would have cost each other your lives were this a real mission!"

"We're sorry, okay?" Boba whined, tired of hearing they screwed up.

"Sorry will not bring you both back from the dead!" Carver snapped. Boba flinched. Carver shook his head grimly. He checked the time. "I will retrieve lunch from the cruiser..." He trailed off, walking down the stairs. "While I am gone, you both need to remember why it is Jango bothered to let you both tag along."

Boba and Tanya were slapped in the face by his remark. Jango didn't let them 'tag along.' He relied on them! Needed them for jobs he couldn't otherwise do on his own. Jango needed them because...because...because they were an unbeatable team. Two kids who could read each other's minds, predict what the other was going to do and time their movements perfectly. Those were the two the best team. Where are they now?

"Have we really lost touch that much?" Tanya asked, hoping it was all in her head.

"What did we expect?" Boba collapsed against the wall, folding his arms behind his head. "You had to close off because of prison, and I needed to keep Aurra from walking all over me." Tanya's exhaled deflated her to the floor. She lied on her side, propping her head up. "You and I couldn't afford to fight as if we had someone watching our backs."

"Couldn't. Past tense." Tanya stressed. "It doesn't mean we can't do it again." Although, despite that they wouldn't say it out loud, what's to say they can afford to rely on each other again. What if they're pulled apart again, and forced to rely on only themselves. What if...that loomed like a dark cloud.

"Are we really going to sit here and think time is the issue?"

"Huh?" Tanya didn't understand.

Boba's hateful scowl scared Tanya against the wall. "You willingly joined our father's killer!" He screamed. "Allied yourself with him! Became friends with him! Forgot everything he stole from us!"

"I never forgot!" Tanya swiped her hand, offended he'd think such a thing. "I carried that anger and grief with me every single day!" As for _willingly_ , "That stupid Gremlin and Chancellor pestered me every other month until I said yes! Offered me a chance to kill him!"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TAKE IT?!"

"BECAUSE I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" Her voice echoed for miles in Boba's ears, stunning him beyond retort. Tanya panted heavily, biting her lip. "I couldn't take it anymore. Carrying that grief, that anger for two years...it was too much." She shook her head, clawing her scalp. "Sitting in that jail cell, it was all that weighed on me. So when Yoda asked, I agreed. I didn't care if I lost. I just wanted out. Wanted the voices to stop."

"Tanya..." Tanya darted across, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Tanya?! What's wrong?!" Boba struggled in her surprisingly strong embrace.

"I missed you!" She squeaked. Boba stopped struggling. "I missed you so much!" Her fingers hooked in him. Her arms wrapped tighter. Boba blinked in bewilderment. "Everyday I was in prison, I would worry myself sick wondering where you were, and if you were alive. There was no way for me to check on you!"

"You...worried about?" Boba cursed himself for finding that strange. Her saying it aloud took him by storm.

"Yes, revenge on Windu consumed me!" She wasn't going to deny that. "But nothing took precedence over you! NOTHING!" Maybe she was consumed with thoughts of revenge. But it was worrying over Boba that made her cry herself to sleep every night.

"Tanya..." Boba hugged his hands to her shoulders. Water spilled down his armor. Tanya was crying. "Please...don't cry." He mumbled under his breath.

"I became a Jedi because I knew, one day, you would find me..." She cupped a hand to his cheek. She smiled at him with glossy eyes, gazing as if in a dream. "And I would be able to see with my own eyes you were alright. I didn't care if you were mad." She touched her forehead to his, loving the feel of her brother. It was beyond words how happy she was to have him again. "I just wanted to see my little brother. They don't allow visitors in the basement, you know."

"Are you...serious?" Boba remembered everyday he spent hating her for standing by Windu's side. The desire to kill her for it constantly taunted the blasters he held in his hands. "All that...for me?" He could see her right now. Wallowing in her prison cell, crying out his name. Becoming Windu's Padawan - Boba wonder if she went planet to planet in hopes she'd see him. "Tanya...I don't...I mean I..." He was horrible. He doubted her. He actually thought...she...replaced him. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Tanya!" He threw his arms around her, holding her tight and never letting her go.

Carver hid in the stairwell, listening as the two siblings bawled their hearts and souls out. He hasn't heard them cry like this since they were children. They had this bad habit of bottling up their feelings until they explode. This was...a minor burst.

"Can you seem them, Jango?" He mumbled warmly. "Are you watching them?" He saw him. Jango standing over his children, watching them grow and comfort one another when they need each other the most. "Take heart, old friend. They're going to be just fine."

 **To be continued**


	3. Business as Usual

**Business as Usual**

 _We all have to do what we hate to get what we want._

 **xxx**

Tossing, turning, clawing at sheets, biting into pillows - the wall had dents from being kneed and kicked throughout the night. Blankets and sheets were thrown askew, half on and half off the bed. Teeth ground, breaking skin on chocolate lips. Incoherent mutters whispering and blurting randomly. The tired body sank further and further into the mattress. Unbearable weight kept piling. It was hard to breath. Movement was all but impossible. The bed was about the break under him. This unrelenting force - malicious, angry, grief stricken - knives were digging into him. Grey, slit animal eyes and a rabid girl.

 _I'll drag them all to Hell._

Brown eyes shot open. Windu flew forward, panting heavily in dripping sweat. He smashed a palm in his tired eyes, bobbing his head to come out of his haze. He rested his back on the wall at the head of bed. The whole of his room at the temple wrapped him in safety. Calmed him down from the rough night. It was falling on midday and he was barely waking up from a nap. The council meeting ran longer than he thought. It's only natural he'd fall asleep while relaxing. Tension in his shoulders was especially expected. A sign that the war was taking a toll on his old body.

' _You're always telling me to get plenty of rest, and never work myself too hard. Follow your own advice._ '

Windu chuckled at the girl in his head. "Still making me out to be the hypocrite..." He put a hand over his eyes, hiding the sadness from himself and the world. "What are you up to right now?"

 **xxx**

"NO! NO! NIET! NINE! GUY FALLING OFF A ROOF INTO A VAT OF ACID!" Tanya's top of the lung rant was shrill in the ship's closed cockpit. Boba plugged one ear, attempting to fly straight while ignoring her. She's been protesting for the last...come to think of it, she hasn't stopped hollering since leaving Kerwan two and a half days ago. _My fault. I shouldn't have told her until we were there._

 **Flashback**

 _ **Two and a Half Days Ago**_

 _Boba meandered into the open penthouse living room, hair sopping wet from his shower. The shoulders of his dark yellow jacket were drenching. The green shirt, and brown baggy pants were spared. The large window flooded the living room with morning light. The rush of cars flew by He lied down and hung his legs over the couch arm, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. He sighed heavily, dreading what a dull day the morning was turning out to be._

 _"Until Tanya wakes up..." He trailed off drearily, shuffling for a Tablet beneath the cushion. He double tapped the screen, bringing up a bulletin broadcasted from Tatooine last night. Ads here and there about hair plugs, and - ooh - lethal insect repellent. Boba stroked the screen, extending them off left screen as miscellaneous holographic tabs labeled "Ads." Other tabs pertaining to jobs, strategies, people, planets, and a list of names were with it._

 _Back to the bulletin. More of a black site for the criminal element and morally challenged circles. Exclusively accessible to those who know that it exists, and have a neat little Easter egg key to get in without raising alarms. Bars, pubs, and shady alleys aside, discretion keeps the handcuffs off a day longer. Being hired by reputation paints a target. Tanya wasn't the only one with connections. Boba might as well have a VIP card._

 _A bothersome yet pay worthy gig was posted. One Boba accepted prematurely. "I really need to learn to read the fine, digitized print before I hit okay." He cursed himself._

 _Guarding cargo crossing the desert. Keep cargo in tact from point A to point B. Don't talk to strangers, no detours - blah, blah, blah. Straightforward job. "Need security to safeguard convoy," Was the subject matter of the post. "Meeting place confidential until job accepted." A common paranoia. Employers never disclose the locations of the meet and greets. Too enticing an opportunity for competition. On Tatooine no less. The only way you're safe is by saying you work for Jabba. If they aren't stupid, they'd take off in the opposite direction._

 _The job was located at an abandoned observatory on Tatooine. No surprise. Many who live on Tatooine often hired guns to transport goods. Lots of abandoned developments, plants, and properties in the great unknown with treasures ripe for looting. Hauls from rivals left to years With the terrain mostly desert, the dangers didn't lie with only the sandworms and Dune Troll. Marauders enjoyed ambushing unsuspecting travelers and stripping them of all they're worth._

 _The credits offered range from 5,000 to 25,000, depending on the condition of the convoy. Already the perfect bait for Bounty Hunters looking for quick cash. The shipment being transported was unknown, but the destination is what Boba neglected to read before agreeing._

 _"It would have to be Jabba!" Boba whined. Jabba needs a group of suckers to do his dirty work - considering Jabba's palace location and the nearest landmark - for the next three to some odd days. Just to be the sleemo that he is, he might arrange for his own personal attack squad just so he doesn't have to pay what he agreed. "Tanya's gonna flip her lid!" Boba can't back out of the job. Jabba doesn't know it's him - naturally. Boba made sure his and Tanya's names and identities were hidden from him. It was the sake of his pride and ego he couldn't back down. That and he'd never be able to look Scroop in the eye. Besides, they needed the money. Their fighter needs upgrades, they needs supplies, and Tanya needs to augment her swords. They slow her down. The same with Boba's guns. Their lack of oomph hinders him._

 _Boba rolled over on his stomach, tossing the tablet on the coffee table. He buried his despair in the cushion. "She's gonna kill me."_

 _"Who's gonna kill you?" Boba nearly jumped out of his skin. Tanya was leaning over the couch, a towel on her soaked hair. The V- Straps of her maroon tummy sports top drenched. Her tail swayed side to side through a slit in her brown sweats. Her purple eyes ogled him curiously._

" _UH-UH-UH-IZUMI!" His voiced cracked. He cleared his throat, unable to get rid of the treble making it bounce. "It was Izumi's birthday last week and we never sent her anything!" He laughed nervously, hiding the foot kicking him in the lame excuse. He's sure Tanya's 'quirk' saw through his facade._

 _Tanya shivered, feeling an ominous chill scale her spine. "Just be glad she's on Ruuger. Half a thousand planets away, knee deep in her own problems." Boba was caught off guard. 'No way she bought that!' He adamantly doubted. Tanya turned around, drying off her hair. She secretly scowled, groaning skeptically at her brother's poor cover up. 'What are you hiding?'_

 _Boba was better at lying than she was. And not just because he wore a Mandalorian Helmet. "Misdirective persona," is what he calls it. Tanya wasn't sure what it was exactly. Jango could never figure it out either. The kid comes up with a tale, weaves it, and has saps eating out of his palms. Completely ignorant of the horns and barbed wire halo on his head. That poker face. It's fooled Tanya several times. So for him to be so obvious was a red flag._

" _Anyway, I scored us a job." Boba changed subject before he sweated a bucket full._

" _Really? Doing what?" Tanya climbed over, sitting next to him._

" _Straightforward. Protect a convoy on Tatooine, get from 1 to 2 with minimal damage." He summarized, skipping the part where Jabba's the employer. "Job offers from 5,000 to 25,000 credits."_

" _We know we could use it." Tanya laughed at their situation. The pile of bills on the corner of the coffee table was growing by three each time she looked at it. "5,000 at least will be enough to catch us up."_

" _Right. Anything more can go to some upgrades." Boba kicked his feet up on the table, and folded his hand behind his head, able to see the money flowing._

 _Tanya leaned back on the couch arm, charmed by her brother's confidence. It was a refreshing sight. "When's the job going down?" She nonchalantly motioned a hand toward the kitchen, bending in at the wrist. Two cups of brewed coffee floated to her hands._

" _I sent the confirmation last night," Boba accepted a cup, lifting it in gratitude, "I should be getting a reply soon. But since Tatooine is mostly desert, we need to be stocked up on fluids. Nothing that will slow us down." He declared firmly. Dangers far exceeding desert heat lied on Tatooine. Carrying canteens and packs risks slowing their movements, and dampening their reflexes. "And try to keep the force bit to a nonexistent minimum. People see force and the Jedi will be on us like hornets." Or they're shot like dogs. Jedi are less popular on Tatooine than anywhere else. Maybe Serenno has it beat._

" _The force I've pretty much capped." She promised him. Using the Force is out of habit not instinct. She grew accustomed to using it before and while she was a Jedi. Because of that fact, her reputation as a hunter, and rumor spreading of her leaving the Jedi, scopes seem to be searching for a blue skinned cat Jedi walking around. The reasons are numerous. Tanya cares very little if she's discovered. It'll just burden Boba. Also...she wasn't in any mood to see a single Nightstick within planet distance of her. "As for food and water, Carver sent us those dehydrated caps. Water and varieties of food."_

" _Good. I know better than to ask, but will you be able to survive on Tatooine for however long this takes?" Amphibians and desert planets don't normally mix well. As the ethnicity describes, they are fish out of water. Dry or humid climate is hazardous to their health._

" _Not a problem. My missions on Geonosis and Frii-Caah helped me adapt." She bounced a fist off her chest. She's tough as nails._

" _Then let's get packing!"_

 **Flashback end**

"...Can't believe you did this to me!" Tanya verbal assault reached a standstill. Or an impasse. Depends on how irrational one views her when she's riled like this.

"Listen. It'll be alright. We'll just keep our disguises up and he won't be none the wiser."

"Jabba's a slob but he's not stupid." Tanya heatedly reminded her prideful brother. "He'll know it's us the second we open our mouths."

"Yours, maybe. But not mine." Boba slipped his helmet on. He input a code on his wrist com, sending a signal to his helmet. "Vhat do you tink of me now, eh?" He chuckled in a think, teenage accent.

"I think you need a brain scan when this is over." Tanya pulled her hood up. It was thick and sturdy, good for concealing her ears. She pinched the ring on her shirt's chest, twisting the top. A holo mask concealed her entire face in shadow, leaving her eyes exposed. Under the cape skirt, she wrapped her tail to her waist, keeping it well hidden. Aquatisan bounty hunters aren't uncommon. But Tanya doesn't need the attention.

"Just let me do the talking. We'll be fine."

"That's what you said during that casino job."

"How was I supposed to know the age limit was 21?"

"Gee. The world wonders."

Tanya finally lost all her breath, pouting in her seat. She purposefully bounced her foot on the headrest of Boba's seat. His irritation will be her revenge. "Can't believe you kept this from me for three days!" She whined.

"It's been two and a half…" Boba trailed off, swiping her foot away, "And YOU never asked!" He slyly countered with a grin.

"I didn't ask because I knew you were lying." Boba cringed. He felt a mental slap at the back of his head. "I figured since it was Tatooine it revolved around Jabba somehow."

"Then why not call me on it?"

"Boba if I called you on every lie you told me I'd have chased you away."

"Better than letting me think I've pulled the wool over you!" He returned to the vastness of space, grumbling under his breath. "All those times you ignored me. Knew there was a reason. WHAT AM I KICKING MYSELF FOR?!" Boba threw the ship into Autopilot, then threw himself halfway over the seat. He pressed a finger into Tanya's forehead. She thought a bullet hit her. "You've lied to me dozens of times too! Yet I always gave you the benefit of the doubt! I never ignored you!"

"YEAH, BECAUSE YOU WERE OBLITERATING ME WITH KINDNESS!" Tanya jabbed her finger in his forehead. "I killed you with a cold shoulder!"

"Killed?! You still kill me!" He pulled on her ears. "Did you forget the bruises you left me after that incident on Coruscant?!"

Tanya pulled at his cheeks. "As if I walked away scratch free!"

"You looked better than me!"

"I always look better than you!"

"Shut up!"

"You shut up, Shortie!"

"I'm as tall as you!"

"Not even!"

Their ferocious argument went absolutely nowhere for the next hour. To be expected. When it boiled down to it they were children - brother and sister - acting upon impulses no one is above. The ship shook with a vengeance, diverting off course several times before getting back on course. Thank inventors for autopilot. Passing by ships idled to solve what could be happening inside the tinted cockpit. It never crossed their minds it was the ramblings of a sibling feud.

For all their arguing, Boba and Tanya silently appreciated one another. On jobs or in fight for their lives they were a solid team. Compensating for the other's shortcomings, and safeguarding blind spots. Unfortunately, as brother and sister, they tend to take the other for granted and began hurling insults by the mouthful. Sometimes things ended up broken. After more than two years of being apart, this petty squabbling was a lift off the chips growing on their shoulders. The rage that exploded on Coruscant during Boba's _visit_ was a first step in their rekindling a lost relationship. Now, here in the dead of space, on their way to their first job in two months - perfect opportunity reforge. Strengthen a bond losing luster the longer she remained in Windu's employ. Boba wasn't a choir boy himself. His _caretaker_ isn't one of Tanya's favorites either. None of that mattered now.

After three days in space, the desert planet Tatooine appeared, radiating like a foreboding beacon. Heads in the game, eyes on the prize, arriving on - EVERYONE'S - enemy territory. Tanya swallowed her pride - and her nausea for Hutt's - and donned her disguise. She flipped the hood, turned the ring, and only her eyes were visible.

"Maybe after this I can get a voice modulator."

"Not a bad idea." Boba brought the ship in for a landing, concealing it two miles from Jabba's parted palace behind dunes. "Let's get through this job first and see what that cheapskate pays us."

"Then we might as well leave. Jabba only pays himself."

Boba rolled his eyes. Her cynicism is warranted but a distraction. He needed her head in the game. The cockpit popped with a hiss. Searing, dry heat cooked baked them on contact. The sun rays cooked their skin. What was exposed. Boba's considering getting air conditioned armor, or returning to a battle suit. Seeing the steep, rock slope he and Tanya had to scale, he's regretting not bringing the cruiser that carried their hoverbikes. Tanya closed the cockpit and activated the chameleon field. It masked the ship to resemble the terrain. Difficult to track, even harder to spot. Unless natural weather exposed it.

Jabba's sense of aesthetic was dramatic to say the least. A crime Lord living on high a rocky mountain, overlooking the land he rules by his frightening reputation. The Hutt deludes himself to believing he's a god. A generously open hand to anyone willing to pole dance or serve him for the next chunk of their life. It's not unheard of those declining never returning from the desert. Tanya hates to disappoint self appointed authoritative figures. Perhaps she'll leave a few snacks for the desert to consume. That is, of course, should they prove annoying.

Weequays, Twi'Leks, Rodians, Goatmen **(** _ **no idea of species**_ **)** idled just outside the entrance to Jabba's palace, sniggering and mumbling excitedly about the job they found on the Black Bulletin. Bulletin on a black site. Clever if not mundane. They were drooling puddles thinking of the money and what they will be hauling. By the sounds of things, the shipment being hauled and the location were still hush-hush. Acceptees or simple bargain hunters - the jury was out. Ideas to skimp on the job and sell their _convoy_ for a higher price sounded tempting too. Not so tempting was having the eyes of ears of the Hutt's bearing down and severing their heads when they least expect it.

All heads and scrutinizing glares locked on Tanya and Boba as they emerged from the hike. The pair paid them no mind. The cleaving stares trying to see beyond their disguises were apparent. Common for the economically despaired to resent additional competition. Their ambiguous appearance, haughty strut, and obviously intermediate grade weapons tickled an itch in trigger happy hands. The shorter one carried himself like the boss. The girl, with those two swords strapped to her back, must have been his bodyguard. A shame it would be for them to become victims of the desert. Or so Boba and Tanya assumed was trolling their small minds.

"Feels like I'm back at the senate." Tanya whispered when they entered the main tunnel. The eyes didn't stop at the door. Zabraks, Mandos, and other variety of thug continued the walk of stares.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Walking to Palpatine's office was like a prison walk." She'd prefer a prison walk. Prisoners weren't hypocrites.

"I thought being a Jedi meant having it easy." Boba remarked in rancorously.

"Only if you bend over backwards 24/7."

"Ah, there's the rub." Big Sister Tanya doesn't kowtow. Boba taught her well. Tanya's generous by nature, in spite of her hostile tendencies. It was necessary to teach her to give people a run for their money. Boba's lack of subtly rubbed off on her.

"Nothing that bothered me." A malicious grin stretched the holographic mask. "Their _holier than thou_ persona was too feeble shield to hide their skeletons." She handed Boba a projector. Boba already knew what was on it without looking at it.

Entering Jabba's inner palace, Tanya put a cap on her tongue and the sudden urge to choke Jabba's beating heart. Boba adjusted his helmet voice modulator. Jabba's not as intimidating as Boba recalled. The odor hanging in the air must have been the cause for his unease. Normal entertainment and music were halted on the spot. Twi'Lek women and the alien band adjourned to their dressing rooms for a break. The hoard of hunters from outside flooded the palace, keeping to the walls, watching the pair like hawks. Tanya kept an eye on them, wiggling her itchy fingers for a knife strapped to her legs.

Jabba addressed the pair in his obscured language. The Protocol Droid ran the grumbling language through its processor. "The wise and mighty Jabba," Tanya could not resist rolling her eyes, "Wishes to know what brings you both to his fair planet."

"How about you spare us his inflated ego and get to de part vhere vee get to vork?!" Boba snapped brazenly. "You advertised a job. Ve're here for de location. Spill!" Tanya mentally applauded his brashness. That lack of subtlety saved them from many a beating around the bush. It's very contagious.

Jabba's body rippled as he growled gutturally at Boba's insolence. The room started to become crowded. Personal space was being violated from behind. Jabba roared at Boba, forewarning him of where he was. "The Mighty Jabba wishes to remind you of whose house you are in, and that not all of his guests leave." Holsters latches broke.

Tanya slid her knives from the strap and gracefully threw them in the necks of two men on either side. She reached around her shoulder, grasping her sword's hilt. Three others approached behind her, blasters targeted at her back. The triggers were squeezed. Tanya bent back like a contortionist. Laser bolts shrieked past, killing bystanders near Jabba. She planted her hands and sprung two boots full force into the middle man's chest, winding him on the ground. The last two tried to counter. Tanya drew her sword and slit their necks clean. She flourished the blade and ended her onslaught stabbing the last man through his neck. Threads of skin kept his head from rolling. Others who planned to join the fray were frozen, rooted in place with their hands hovering a hair's length from their guns. Jabba himself had a protective hand before his son, Rotta.

"Anyone else vish to make bad choices?" Boba dared, twisting to the horror stricken crowd. "My _assistant_ is in a very bad mood." Tanya unsheathed the sword, casting blood with a simple flick. "Maybe one more kill will put her at ease." Playing to the role, she went for her second sword. It was delightful sensing one or two debating on whether to muster their spines. Tanya was in the mood for senseless violence.

"WOOTAH!" Jabba boomed.

"Jabba says, that is enough." The protocol droid translated. Boba raised a commanding hand. Tanya nodded and sheathed the sword. Jabba stroked his fifth chin considerately. He was impressed by the masked woman's speed and skill. Her unwavering resolve and ability to kill spoke loud and clear. The boy clearly has a handle on her. A man of words while his assistant was his actions. Projecting his authority and competence. Those two, in his eyes, were very dangerous. Just how he liked his stooges. Jabba handed the Protocol Droid a datapad who then handed it to Boba. "The location and time of the convoy's departure are inclosed. Retrieve it and bring it back here in one piece."

"Dere a time limit to ven you vant dis piece o' luggage brought here?"

Jabba slurred impatiently, flailing his stunted arms. "Master Jabba says you can take all week if you wish, just get out and bring his goods."

"In that case…" Boba trailed off, accessing the datapad. He and Tanya studied the location, the distance, accounted for hazards and other obstacles. Tanya and he erected one finger. "We'll have this back to you by this time tomorrow in mint condition." Awe struck murmurs rumbled in the crowd. Jabba himself was caught off guard. A bold claim from someone who hasn't even seen the shipment yet. "We expect to be paid in full." Boba turned on his heels before Jabba could protest the matter. Tanya trailed behind him, flashing a glare. Flinchy goons spun away, hiding their fear behind a hand.

Jabba growled angrily, humiliated by those loft rats. Such blatant disrespect. Coming into his house, killing his men, and staining his floors. Then that boy dare to speak to him with outright impertinence. Outrageous! Jabba smiled hungrily. _Those two are perfect._ He thought. His men are good, but they lack that murderous air Jabba values. He snapped his fingers. A tanned Zabrak woman, a green male Rodian, a Weequay with four long braids, and a yellow male Twi'lek entered the middle of the floor, kneeling to Jabba. He uttered orders to his underlings, ending it with a slurp of his fingers.

"The Mighty Jabba wishes for you to follow them, and see to it no _accidents_ befall his cargo." The group chuckled maliciously. The message between the lines was abundantly clear.

 **xxx**

Boba and Tanya _borrowed_ a couple of desert speeders from the lookie loos. Smart goons that they are they most likely aren't insured and won't collect the deposits highly probable stolen bikes. Good news for Boba and Tanya. Stolen bikes don't have GPS.

"You DID check if the tracking beacon was dismantled or not, right?" Boba double checked.

"For the 1,000th time, YES!" Tanya threw her head back. "And do you really think those idiots are going to come after us for these cheap pieces of crap?" Boba shrugged. Anything's possible.

At the speed they were traveling, maneuvering the unleveled terrain, they would likely arrive by nightfall. Sudden drops sent their stomachs flying. Going from rock to sand to some type of loose substance slowed them briefly. The trick was not driving off cliffs with a 1,000 foot plummet into a gorge, or the occasional valley. The views of the valleys were breathtaking. Too bad Tatooine wasn't ideal for tourism.

"Nicely handled back there, Bro." Tanya partially laughed at his tough boss act. Boba was able to play the big man on campus in that armor. Hard to call on a poker face you can't see.

"Not so bad yourself. I was worried your tact wasn't as sharp as those blades."

"You and a few others drew the same conclusion." She lowered the mask, flashing a menacing smirk. "You're the only survivor."

"Knew those Jedi couldn't dull you."

"Please, Boba. If they could dull me do you think they'd put me in Valorum's Program?" A fair question. One that came with a prick at her heart. She put on her mask - figurative and literal - to prevent Boba from seeing her sorrow. Too late.

The sun barely set beyond the jagged mountains. It's curved glow highlighted the uneven tips. The Tatooine sky basked in an orange hue. The stars peeking the darker the skies became. Puffs of smoke hissed shrilly from massive geysers along the mountain and ground. Carnivorous creatures stalked cautiously onto the open desert terrain, snarling at the slightest shift in desert weather.

Boba and Tanya's hoverbikes frightened the smaller creatures back underground. They slowed to a steady halt outside what was an industrial bunker. Power core towers long out of use collected years of dust and rust. Caked on excrement stained the roofs. It was unnervingly quiet. A bunker nestled at the foot of rocky hills impossible to see. Gnarly archways and darkened spots carried the air of eyes watching them from every corner.

"I'll be happy once we finish this job." Boba shuddered.

"Amen to that brother."

Large, heavy garage doors sent Boba and Tanya jumping from their skins, grounding bone chillingly loud parting open. Years worth of dirt sprinkled in a sheet. A strong, humid gust of musty iron odors wafted in their noses, making them choke. Three heavily armed figures escorted an armored truck from the garage. The bright lights behind them created indiscernible shadows. Tanya and Boba dismounted their bikes, approaching cautiously so they wouldn't be shot on sight. The closer they met their hosts in the middle, their military grade armor shaped.

"You the ones sent by Jabba?" The middle man - woman, by the pitch - grudgingly inquired.

"Do you tink vee vould be here if vee veren't?" Boba kept to his character.

The woman nodded, strutting to the back of the truck. She motioned a hand. Tanya decided to follow. Boba would spend quality time with the other two. The lingering two weren't spared Tanya paranoia. They so much as breathe out of tune and they'd join the bleeders in Jabba's palace. The woman lifted the back. She flicked on her helmet lights, illuminating stacks of crates. Their contents unknown. Labels written in the Tatooine language marked the cargo as " **Fragile.** " Her boggled glance prompted the woman to respond.

"The contents are none of your concerns." Jabba's textbook response. "Return this to Jabba in its unblemished condition and you will be paid."

Tanya now remembered why she hates playing the _silent assassin._ There's no fun being unable to tell someone to shove it. The lengths she goes to to remain anonymous. Swallowing her pride she nodded once to Boba, confirming all was _vaguely_ well. Boba returned the nod. The masked woman pardoned herself, joining her companions. A rancorous tension emanated form the three. Boba felt it too. The targets suddenly pasted to their backs. Tanya closed truck. She bowed at the woman and her men, returning to her brother. Boba volunteered to drive while Tanya would provide maneuverable support on the hoverbike. Boba lowered the scouter piece of his helmet, activating the thermoscan.

 _Click._ Tanya dropped and slapped the sand, creating a thick dust cloud. Blind, impulsive gunfire shrieked, missing her by a mile. The shrill sounds killed her ears. The laser bolts dispersed hitting the armored truck. The blinded trio wised up and started shooting at the ground. The shots came close, but missed as Tanya slithered between shots. Boba's thermoscan captured Tanya rolling under the truck to safety, clearing her from his approaching onslaught. The trio swatted at the dust, failing miserably to clear it away. Boba aimed his pistol. He twisted a bar aligned beneath the barrel. It narrowed like a sniper scope. He pulled the trigger twice for each one. The bullets broke the armor, piercing their chests clean through. They dropped dead one at a time. The sand soaked their blood. Insects hidden in the sand crawled in their wounds, beginning to devour their corpses.

Tanya swept a hand. The dust dissipated. The moonlit night gleamed brighter when the annoyances were removed. "Is that the best Jabba can do?" Boba spat, adjusting his gun to the original settings. "I mean, come on, be original. The drunk head of security at a mall has more tact."

"We're not done yet." Tanya warned him. The sheen of her purple eyes cut through the night. "There are more bugs crawling around."

Boba tilted his head. Tanya's ears twitched, flexing forward and back. When he considered where they were, the job did seem too easy. Way too easy. He tapped a couple keys, switching from thermoscan to distance. He scanned within a one mile radius, searching for what doesn't belong in the desert. Sure enough, though he didn't react, there were four heads hiding in the distance.

"Want me to shoot them?"

"No. Let them follow like obedient dogs." A crazed smile stretched her lips. "We'll strangle them by their leashes ."

"Seriously, did you become this diabolical madman with the Jedi?"

"Me? Mad?" She played cute, wagging her tail with red cheeks. "Where would you get a silly idea like that?"

"Eyup!" Boba shut himself in driver's side, grunting gruffly at his sister's false innocence. "They made you crazy."

"That's not very nice to say." She playfully pouted. "Ahsoka and Barriss kept me sane the whole time."

"The Togruta, and Mirialan girls, right?"

"That's them."

"What about that Gungan that you like?" He asked, leaning out the window.

"Jar-Jar?" She threw her legs around the bike. "He's okay, but super clumsy." She tenderly rubbed her tail. "The number of times that guy stepped on my tail."

Boba sat silently while she reminisced in her accidental pain. It made him sad. She sounds like she had fun with them. Made friends. It all came crashing down around her. The last thing he wants is to keep her from her friends. But he's not going to let the people that hurt her get near her. It's confusing really. He wants her to be happy, but not at a price.

Desert winds were not an anomaly on Tatooine. The nights drew on harsh storms that blanket the land in a hazardous cloud. The dangers of being buried beneath sand were only part of the problem. Boba started the truck. He had an issue of the truck's model. The trip to the facility was rigorous, bumpy, and difficult to travel on bikes. A heavy duty truck like this would never make it. Tanya put on a pair of goggles. As the lead, she'd need all her senses available to her.

"Don't these types of trucks come with an All Terrain Mode?" Boba rumbled impatiently. "This huge thing will never make the trip."

"Near the pedals." Tanya pointed toward the ground.

Boba looked down and found the button she mentioned. "Cool." He pressed it. The truck jerked for a few seconds. It bounced wildly, and loud bangs scared the boy a couple of times. The truck's roof parted from over Boba. The fore windshield and side windows remained as a half baked shield. The cargo area opened up. The back half of the truck condensed, compacting into a more travel friendly size.

"Man, I preferred the truck!" Boba whined heatedly. The crates were fastened in place by thick straps, but the end was still long. It would be clumsy on the terrain. "This vehicle mode is so lame!"

"Quit complaining! It's not like we have to keep it!" Tanya yanked wires from the steering, abandoning the bike. "It's another ploy by Jabba."

"You think I didn't catch on to that?" Boba snarled.

Anyone with common sense would afford cruisers to carry important cargo. The flight would lessen travel time, and it was less likely any damage would before the cargo. Jabba, being the bastard that he is, purposefully makes Bounty Hunters work for his own amusement. Half the Hunters he has aren't there of their own free will. The idea of owing him a debt terrified them.

"What about the morons tailing us?" Boba spat, already beginning to hate this job. Perhaps a slap for not paying better attention. "What do you want to do about them when they become suddenly brave?"

"The four?" She jumped onto the cargo.

"No the other ones." Boba corrected. Tanya's ear bounced curiously. "We've been followed by others since we left."

Tanya strained her radius of focus a bit farther. Her wagging tail stopped. She narrowed her dimmed eyes. Others with a lack of restraints were close by. "Are we sure you're not secretly Force Sensitive?" She crooned.

"You're not the only one who learned a few tricks the last few years." Boba was offended by her lack of faith in skills she witnessed him hone. "I can't decide if I want to deal with them now or when we're finished."

"Then put the other rats out of mind and lets focus." Tanya lied down, putting her hands behind her head. She planned to take a little nap while the pests followed them. "If they get on your nerves you can kill them. Right now, our main priority needs to be getting off this planet." She stared at her hands. "It won't take a genius long to figure out the secret behind my sand screen."

"Agreed." Boba reluctantly restarted the truck now turned jeep. He put the pedal to the mettle and followed the winding cliffs into a canyon.

 **xxx**

Crosshairs scrolled the transforming truck. The cargo Jabba expected was confirmed. The dead bodies around it affirm dishonest businessmen. The mysterious Bounty Hunting pair saddled up and were on their way to deliver the goods. The Night Vision binoculars sharpness was so refined it wasn't difficult to see the two hadn't sweated the contingency. The binoculars followed the pair entering the canyon, taking them out of their line of sight.

"What idiots!" The Green Rodian scoffed. "They might as well be asking to be robbed."

"Do not underestimate them, Greedo." The Zabrak woman warned him. "You saw them at the Palace. They are not pushovers."

"Save it, Hera!" Greedo tossed the binoculars. "Two kids with a lucky streak are nothing to be afraid of!"

"I am in agreement with Greedo." The Yellow Twi'Lek draped an arm around Greedo's shoulders. "These two aren't going to be such a big deal."

"That remains to be seen, Jasper." The Weequay kept his binoculars trained to the canyon. A small group of riders entered after the pair minutes later, brandishing scary looking weaponry. "Our friends denied the job are about to raise a bit of Hell for them."

"Then let's get going, Nash." Greedo sniggered. "I'd hate to miss the show."

 **xxx**

The relatively smooth ride nodded Tanya off to sleep. The bumps here and there did nothing to wake stir her. Boba, on the other hand, was wide awake. He was the night owl of the pair. He was drawn to the moon. Ironic given he and Tanya do their best work at night.

Boba studied a holo map of the canyon he was driving. If he was reading it correctly, they should emerge more than halfway to Jabba's palace. Keeping this speed, there's a chance they will return at the time boasted. Missing the deadline by a second isn't an option. The rest of the way will be climbing dunes and steep inclines. There's just one more problem.

"They still there?" He spoke to Tanya through their ear com.

Tanya partially opened her eyes. She flexed her ears, releasing a bothered sigh. "Sure are. The ones in the gorge are gaining."

"They're starting to annoy me." Boba growled, squeezing the steering wheel. How he wished he could stop driving and get rid of their pest problem.

"Leave it be, Boba." Tanya sat up, stretching and twisting her arms behind her. It's a trade off on who has the worst temper. Tolerance for thugs with compensating big guns was tremendously on the low side. "Just keep driving. I'll handle the tag alongs." She tightened her gloves.

 **xxx**

The canyon walls gradually narrowed the farther they drove. Occasionally it widened to alleviate the claustrophobia. The slim path wasn't the issue. Boulders the size of cruisers barely clung in place by threads of dying vines. Huge rocks the size of three Trandoshans teased to fall with distinct cracks and rumblings.

The roaring engines of the six speeding hoverbikes reverberated the walls, shaking loose pebbles. It occurred to the group to take it slow and easy. Not tempt fate. Countering that better judgment was them closing in on their target.

"Do you see them yet?" The man second from the back yelled.

"Not yet." The leader checked his radar. The nearing blip made him smile. "But man are we close." Two of the gang slapped hands. They couldn't wait to pry the goods of their young hunters friends. Jabba would pay them double for killing the two who humiliated him.

The six man team extended a leg, riding the wall on a sharp turn. they hooted loudly at the rush that ride left them with. The excitement was short lived. The three leading riders slowed, prompting the others to follow. Emerging in the headlights, the Mandalorian boy's lady friend stood in their middle of the path with her hands behind her back.

"Hey-y-y, tha-a-t's tha-a-t girl." The goat man bleated.

"Does she think she's going to stop us?" A scrawny Trandoshan scoffed. "I doubt her sword can slit our throats at this speed."

"Pour on the speed boys! Ignore this wench!" The masked leader popped and wheelie, charging his bike into overdrive. The rest of his gang howled animatedly, chasing after him.

Tanya snickered under her breath. She bounced a handy little grenade she hid behind her back. 'Closer...closer...close...er...' She activated the grenade. "NOW!" She threw it as high as she could. The bikers were driving too fast. When they saw the blaring grenade, it was too little too late.

The grenade exploded in midair. The shockwave quaked the canyon with a vengeance. Boulders toppled like dominoes. Waterfalls of sand spilled. The bikers weaved around the boulders, all the while trying to swat sand away and watch the road. A futile effort. Agonized wails came just before boulders outsped them. A thick cloud of dust swallowed them whole. Explosions from the bikes crashing lit up the gorge. All that remained was a listlessly cruising bike vacant of a rider.

Tanya stopped the coasting bike with a foot. She kissed her fingertips. Admiring her handiwork. Raspy groans ruined her victory. The dust cleared from the dam of cluttered boulders. The leader, whose torn mask revealed him to be a Korun, was crawling from the debris with broken legs. Tanya spat disdainfully, and stormed to him.

The Korun man grasped at a protruding rock, pulling himself along. Tanya stomped on his foot. He wailed in pain. The rocks jagged edges broke skin and bones. He glared through wincing eyes at Tanya. Her hard stare sucked the resistance right out of him.

"Please...help me." He reached a hand for her. His tear filled eyes pleaded to her better nature. For one shred of mercy she could spare. "I don't...want... to die here."

Tanya extended her hand. Hope lit in the man's eyes. Tanya grabbed his hand. She yanked him in close, then plunged a knife in the side of his neck. Her gargled on blood pooling into his throat. His eyes wide in horror and confusion. No word arose for him to ask why. The blank stare in Tanya's eyes confirmed enough. There was no mercy in this girl. No remorse.

"Thanks for the ride." She ripped the knife, tearing his neck. The light left his eyes, and he went limp with his final breath. "How disappointing. When did Bounty Hunters become so pathetic during my absence?" Speaking of pathetic. Tanya wondered if the others found the backbone to face Boba yet. "Ooh. May they rest in pieces." She blissfully shuddered.

 **xxx**

Relief arrived at last when Boba found a slope that took right out of the canyon. Thank goodness for him. Modified vehicle mode or not, it was getting cramped in there. The down side is he was exposed in miles of open wasteland, and would have to go through a valley of winding rock formations. He wondered if it was too late to take back his declaration.

"Tanya! Stop playing and get back here!" He roared to himself. Tanya always does this. She finds fun in cleverly torturing her enemies and takes all day about it. "Her head always swells when she can't use her force powers."

Adding to the irritation of his sister's lack of timing, what he thought would be open Wasteland turned into steep dunes, and half broken hills. He practically floated off his seat on the drops. He cursed under his breath, shouting at the terrain. Not that it would answer. How the heck did he not anticipate bumpy roads? That's when it dawned on Boba. Tatooine had a massive earthquake that changed the terrain slightly.

"God this job is more of a headache than I thought it would be." He wasn't in the mood for anymore surprises.

 **xxx**

A surprise RPG locked on to Boba's position. The scope analyzed the speed the jeep was traveling, and calculated the five mile per hour winds. The vehicle bouncing around made it hard to lock on. The weather conditions weren't helping in the slightest.

Gnarled teeth hissed heatedly. Mummy like fingers twisted the scope, zooming in and out, impatiently and futilely attempting to thwart mother nature. Growing tired of trying to aim directly at the jeep, the shooter's mind relaxed and focused his attention on a more productive countermeasure.

The crosshairs scanned the jeep's designated path of travel. There's a point where the land breaks to a brief, flat stretch. Nash, the Weequay assailant, smiled hungrily. His fingers curled to the trigger.

"Are we sure we should be doing this?" Hera protested the hazardous plan. Her comrades were notorious for taking things far. Leagues farther than she was willing to go. Their constantly raging testosterone and desire to out muscle one another severely limited their ability to think rationally.

"We'll just tell Jabba our little hunters were too irresponsible to handle such delicate cargo." Greedo crooned, wrapping his arms around her waist. He purred in her ear. "Accidents happen all the time in the desert. These two will be collateral damage of the harsh terrain."

"Hey! Something's off!" Nash announced adamantly. He looked over the jeep for the 10th time. Now the 11th. "Where's the masked girl? She was sleeping on the crates!"

"Maybe she fell off." Jasper chuckled, leaning against a short rock. The way the jeep was bouncing it wasn't out of the question. "Nash, just shoot the damn thing. I'm tired of camping out."

"Oh, well, forgive me, Your Highness!"Nash rolled his eyes, returning his attention to his upcoming opportunity. "Shall I expedite matters for you convenience." A hand reached around and clamped Jasper's mouth closed. A knife cleanly severed an artery. Blood and voice silently lost in a matter of seconds. "What?! No remark on how waiting is beneath-" There was a thud. Nash, Greedo, and Hera glanced at their silent partner. Nash screamed and dropped the RPG, scrambling in a panic. Greedo and Hera shrieked, holding each other.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Greedo pushed Hera aside, kneeling to Jasper in utter confusion. A pair of sharp purple eyes shone behind Hera. The gleam of a knife was lapping by a hungry tongue.

Greedo stepped in a pool of Jasper's blood. His eyes were frozen open, trapped in the terror that killed him. Nash was stuck in a frenzy, unable to make heads or tails of what just happened.

"He was talking..." Nash mumbled in a stupor. His whole body was shaking. He was frozen on Jasper's corpse. "He was talking...now he's dead...how does this happen?" Her just repeated himself over and over again, desperately processing how he missed it.

Greedo touched Jasper's neck, convinced all the more that Jasper was dead. His neck was torn open. "HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!" He screamed. "He was just talking up a storm a few seconds ago!" Another thud turned Greedo's blood to ice. A second thud made his heart leap out of his chest. He whirled around. A cold tip of a sword met the crook of his neck, dropping his butt to the blood. The Mando's friend towered over him.

"Hello there." Tanya crooned. Greedo's throat clenched, suffocating his words. His trembling eyes shakily rolled to Nash. Dead with a knife wound in his neck. Hera, behind Tanya, dead with a severed throat. "It goes without saying. My friend and I really hate being spied on. Being followed? You've pressed your luck."

"You stupid BIT-" Tanya stepped on his feet, silencing his profanity with a pained cringe.

"Careful. I've developed a love for...necks. Do you wish to know why?" She cooed with a high voice, taunting him with her obscured smile. The sword tip pressed harder. Greedo breathed in sharply. A warm, thin line of blood trickled to his chest. By his glare, Tanya knew he wanted to see her face so he knew who to put a hit out on. "I'd tell you, but I'm a little pressed for time." Tanya sucker punched him, cracking his head on a rock, and rendering him unconscious. Tanya hissed, flicking her sore hand. She dragged Greedo's half dead body to her hoverbike. She rolled Greedo down the slope most of the way. He was skinny, but he by no means light. Tanya hogtied him and threw him on, fastening him to the seat. "Boy is that kid gonna owe me big!" She fumed, dusting her hands.

 **xxx**

Jabba vacated the comfortable confines of his palace to watch the morning approach on the horizon. His right hand men and servants gathered alongside him, 'eagerly' awaiting to tend to his every whim. Jabba's huge lips stretched into a victorious smirk as the night faded for the early dawn. Past the designated time his Mandalorian menace boasted he and his friend would return. The slightest twinkle of the sun's shows beyond those mountains, that pair will be shoveling his slime for the next ten years. As a start, of course.

A sputtering engine completely robbed the wind from Jabba's sails. All of that blustery hot air snuffed as Boba came driving to Jabba's doorstep with his cargo in tow. Mouths fell open in a gasp. Eyes spanned in disbelief. The servants, on the other hand, inched away from Jabba. The crushed a Meluuron fruit with his bare hand, squeezing a cup of juice into Rotta's mouth. The Huttlet slurped up every last bit. He had to be the only one happy.

"Sorry I'm late." Boba killed the engine, then leaned on the steering wheel tauntingly. "Traffic on dis planet is murder. Did you know some band of lame asses tried to get in our way?"

Jabba forced an obviously fake laugh, recovering from the overdose of humiliation being served. He rumbled something in his ambiguous language, flailing his stunted arms dramatically. Boba shifted his head to the butt kissing Protocol droid, wanting him to translate before he cut Jabba open like pinata. beating him would take too long.

"The great and powerful, Jabba," Boba groaned purposefully loud. He's sick and tired of these guys feeding his ego, "Wishes to know if the little boy who boasted to us all of his prowess hit a snag."

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Boba slid to the ground. He pat the cargo proudly, running a hand over the smooth, undamaged container. "As promised: one undamaged, mint condition cargo safely delivered to you in a timely manner." Boba motioned his hand for the pay promised.

Jabba shook his head, rippling his entire body in the process. He chortled while responding to Boba's demands. By the smug look on his pudgy face, he created an on the spot loophole to get out of paying. "The Mighty Jabba has stated, 'the deal was YOU and YOUR companion would deliver the cargo. Where is your companion?"

"On her vay." He replied swiftly. 'I hope.' "Now pay up!"

"Heeba kee dos lah hiak nazggee..." Jabba chuckled.

"Just admit she perished and spare yourself further embarrassment." The protocol droid translated.

"Look, Slug! Either pay up..." Boba let his blaster speak for his threat. The laser lined to Jabba's black heart. That's when clicks churned Boba's stomach. The flunkies had him in their crosshairs dead to rights.

Jabba threw his head back in a fit of laughter, jiggling his portly form. He flamboyantly disparaged Boba, point to the ground a few times before gesturing to his palace. "The Mighty Jabba has advised you to, 'put your toy away.' as he sees it, there are only two options open to you." Boba grit his teeth behind his helmet. "You may proceed to kill him and be killed in turn, or join him in the palace so you may work off your debt."

"DEBT?!"

"You failed your mission. Your accomplice is not here. Therefore, your mission is a failure."

"I CROSSED MILES OF DESERT AND RETURNED HIS CRAP! I deserve the pay owed me!"

"POSSIBLY MORE!" A voice echoed. Everyone jumped, searching for where the voice came from. Greedo was tossed at Jabba's feet, battered and bruised to the brink of death. He apologetically looked up at Jabba with swollen eyes. A boot stomped his face in the dirt. Piercing purple eyes glared defiantly, daring Jabba to so much as twitch. "I believe this filth belongs to you!" She spat, rasping her voice. She ground her foot, rubbing Greedo's face in his own karma. The off chance Jabba recognized her voice, she'd sound as ridiculous as she could to throw him off. He bought it. The Hutt Leader was out of tricks to pull. "30,000." Jabba tilted his head perplexedly. "25,000 credits for bringing this load of crap to you, and an extra 5,000 for sending this lower than the bottom totem pole loft rat and his friends after us!"

Jabba angrily roared at her, bumping her back with his sweaty body. "Jabba has said that you cannot prove he had any involvement with what transpired in the desert."

"Maybe not." Tanya shrugged. She flashed a glimpse at the wavering crowd. Their arms were starting to shake. The guns barely able to be supported by their hands. Tanya stomped suddenly, almost making them drop their weapons. "But your friends here lost the back bone to argue with us."

Jabba growled dangerously. Looking around, he was enraged to find Tanya was correct. His men considered shooting them. But Tanya's display in his palace made them think four times over before blindly attacking. With no other option left, Jabba snapped his fingers. A second protocol droid waddled with a metal brief balanced on its arms. Boba approached the droid, bumping fists with Tanya along the way. The droid popped the case open to reveal a stockpile of credits rightfully earned. A precaution, Boba scanned the credits. Not only were they real, but the 30,000 plus a little extra as an incentive for them to leave faster was prepared.

"Vee are good." Boba confirmed. He closed the case and snatched it. "Let us be going."

"My pleasure." Tanya smashed Greedo's head, then turned on her heels after Boba.

"What took you so long, exactly?"

"Greedo wouldn't stop kicking and screaming." Boba bobbed his head. That explained why Greedo looked like someone's punching bag.

"You're so violent." He teased.

"Lots of pent up anger."

"Good thing we have the cash to put that anger toward something productive." He pat the case. They were going to make beautiful music with those credits.

Without further delay, Boba and Tanya uncloaked the ship, fired up the engines, and were miles away from Tatooine with victory patting them on the back. With Kerwan set to the autopilot, Boba and Tanya congratulated themselves by relaxing, and letting the ride fly by.

"Told you it'd be a piece of cake." Boba boasted, tossing his helmet on the floor. "Just took a bit longer than we planned on being there." He caught Tanya's foot before it kicked him in the head.

"Just make sure you read the fine print before go accepting jobs!" Tanya scolded him.

"Yeah, yeah." He shoved her foot off. _Like you've never skipped to the end before the reading whole page._ He rumbled in his head. "What's first on the agenda when we get home?"

"We pay some bills, then upgrade our toys." She stated flat and simple. She tossed her feet up, lying back with the stars to greet her. "Afterward we do whatever. Not like it's a good idea for us to do too much so soon."

"No kidding." Boba shuddered. "If Aurra finds out we're together, I think her head will split."

"Now that you mention it, how did she end up taking care of you?" Tanya's revulsion was loud and clear. her hatred for Aurra transcended all reason. The sole reason she ever put up with the sniper was because she was married to Hondo.

"Long story. Wanna hear it?" He bounced his brow. Tanya flapped her ears, smiling anxiously. "Good. Because you're going to explain what you were up to while in prison!" He declared. The option to decline was not available.

"Do I have to?" She whined.

"Either that or I stumble on another job from Jabba."

"OKAY! OKAY!" Tanya conceded. "You're an evil little boy, you know that?"

"I learn from the best."

 **To be continued**


	4. Filling in the Blanks

**Filling in the Blanks**

 **Moving on**

 **xxx**

A virtual fireplace flared on in the middle of living room. The lights dimmed off, allowing Kerwan's late night to glow behind the drawn curtains. Cups of coffee, and a plate of a s'mores were lifted and placed on the middle cushion of the light green couch.

Tanya nested herself in the crook of the arm and backrest, anxiously awaiting to hear what her little brother had been up to for the last couple of years on his own. The way Boba was turning his cup in his hand, he resembled a kid who lied about stealing from the cookie jar. He was lost in thought, watch the steaming coffee ripple.

"If you don't want to talk about it..." Tanya trailed off.

The truth of it is, Tanya's always kept Aurra at arm's length. Hondo's ex-wife or not, the woman had more screws loose than Master Vos and Krell combined. Even while Jango was alive, Tanya made it her life's mission to keep Aurra as far from Boba as possible. She was no good for him. Of course she's not going to sing her praises, or say Boba doesn't have blood on his hands. But Aurra...she exchanged her conscience for hair extensions.

"I can always go first."

"No. It's fine." Boba cleared his cracked voice. He sipped his coffee, swallowing his apprehension. "We go back and forth. I tell a part, then you. Okay?" Tanya drank a swig of her coffee, and silently coaxed Boba into talking. He exhaled resignedly, then breathed in courage. "You remember how the search for Mace Windu drove me to the hospital?"

"How could I forget?" Tanya remorsefully massaged her bicep. "You were running on fumes for weeks before you finally collapsed." Which never would have happened if Tanya had paid more attention. "I don't think I ever apologized for disappearing."

"Believe it or not, your disappearing is what sparked a new drive in me." Tanya tilted her head. She didn't quite understand. "The day I was being released, the doctor entered my room to tell me the bad news. Needless to say, I didn't exactly take the news well."

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

 _ **Boba's Early Release**_

 _When Boba arrived at the hospital, he was no better than a child stricken by severe hunger. Bones showing through skin, cheeks sunken, dark rings under his baggy eyes. The dehydration set in firmly. He was coughing up blood due to how dry he was. His skin was bruised and chaffing. He was on the brink of death. He would have died had he not been brought to them sooner._

For the weeks he was confined to the hospital, Boba vitals rose at a rapid rate. Almost inhuman given his age and body type. According to the physical sheet and his bio file provided to them, Boba has endure rigorous and very hazardous training in order to be a 'soldier' when he grows up. As such he's taken every precaution to prepare himself for the majority of life threatening dangers provided in the real world.

By the Doctor's standards, this sort of strain would kill most in place of aiding them. Boba was an extraordinary case. The rate he was recovering was something for medical books. When he first arrived, opening his eyes was taxing. Now he's doing pushups, jogging in place. A nurse caught him scaling the building. Proteins produced by the body, and his own metabolism broke down nutrients fed to him through tubes, rehabilitating his digestive system as well as stabilizing the body's natural motors. He drank the recommended cups of water along with doses of herbs, or other medicines meant to aide in the bodies recovery, and showed remarkable result by weeks end. Precisely why he's being released.

Boba was beyond happy. The hospital was making him sicker by the second. The dying people down the hall negatively impacted his normally optimistic disposition. Boba's normal clothing were dropped off by Tanya during a surprise visit. He couldn't wait to see her again. Maybe he's cut his hair before he went. It grew a little long for his taste.

As he was preparing himself for the paperwork that would get him out of there, the Doctor walked in, carrying grave news.

A tray of hospital food hit the floor. Jello, water, and protein pills spilled everywhere. The Doctor cried as his collar was yanked, bringing him within inches of a scraggly haired Boba. "What the Hell do you mean she's been arrested?!" Boba frothed venomously at the mouth. "She was just here a few days ago!"

Tanya's visits suspiciously became less and less frequent as the days passed by. At a certain juncture, they seemed to stop all together. Over the weekend, she surprised Boba with a visit. She looked worse for wear. As if she hadn't slept in days. That was literally a little over three days ago. Now, after leaving, she's suddenly been arrested.

'Tanya...what have you done?' Boba mourned in his mind. For a few minutes he just sat there. His mind whirled with horrifying images, flashes of Tanya's rotting corpse being picked apart. A Bounty Hunter being arrested left for a messy end. "WHO ARRESTED HER?! FOR WHAT?! WHERE?!" Boba shook the Doctor, planning to beat a confession out of him if he had to. He needed to hold some doubts. She could have been arrested anywhere. As if he didn't know very damn well where Tanya was at this very moment. He saw it in his dreams, he heard her roars in his ears. The face of his father's murderer beside hers.

"O-O-ON NABOO!" The Doctor shakily found his voice. "She attacked Queen Amidala and was apprehended by a Jedi!"

"Queen Amidala?" Boba's grip relaxed. He knew that name. "Padme Amidala?"

"Y-Yes!" He planted his hands on the bed's bars, keeping himself from falling when Boba pulled him even closer. The Doctor was sweating nervous bullets. Boba's glare cut into him like knives.

'How did I not see this coming?' He cursed himself. 'How could I have been so stupid to not see it?' "Who-arrested-her?!" He demanded through grit teeth. "Which Jedi?!"

"A Korun! Male...Mace something!"

"MACE WINDU?!"

"That's him!" The Doctor was shoved into the wall. Boba ripped the patches off, tore his hospital gown and donned his normal attire, and he stormed out of his room, shoving nurses and staff off their feet.

"WAIT! YOU HAVE TO SIGN YOURSELF OUT!" The receptionist shouted after him, waving a clipboard. Boba jumped a gurney, already leagues out the door before anyone could stop him.

"It's alright..." A grey skinned womansnatched up the board, jotting her name on the sign out slot for Boba. "I'll be taking care of him for the time being."

 _ **Present Day**_

"WHOA! WHOA! WHOA!" Tanya stopped the story. She wasn't sure she heard him right. She hoped she hadn't heard him right. "You mean to tell me she was already there?"

"Apparently. Because I received a call that my 'Aunt' checked me out." Air quotes on aunt were necessary. Hondo was their Godfather, but Aurra never was anything more than a backup shooter. "The hospital bill arrived a few days later." Tanya hovered a hand in his face. She didn't have the stomach to hear that number. "And what'd you mean by 'she was already there'?" Boba remarked, finding her tone odd.

"About an hour out, I dialed the first number on my holophone." She itched her ear, still kicking herself for that. "Aurra, though not my favorite person, was the only person I could think of who wasn't buckled down by obligations."

Boba's expressions spanned with a combination of shock and awe. "You asked Aurra to watch over me?" He sounded touched, at the same time questioned why she couldn't find someone more...motherly.

"No. I asked her to make sure you stayed out of trouble." She blushed shamefully. She sank in her shoulders. "I...didn't expect to be gone for so long." She lost her voice on the last couple of words. Boba was struck in the heart. Tanya knew she was in no fit mental state to go anywhere that day. Yet she was selfish and thought of only herself. The blacked out murder of her parents fueling her desire to exact vengeance on Windu in Kashjeen's place. "So...what ended up happening? I know where you eventually wound up, but what delayed the visit?"

"Security around Naboo was insane. Three armadas worth of ships blockaded the planet." Boba will never forget how overwhelmed he felt when he first saw all those monstrous cruisers. The Republic was on a tear.

"Oh yeah. That's right..." Tanya tapped her chin. "Padme was under close watch because of the previous attempt on her life." Previous meaning before the Clone Wars started. Padme had 24 hour guards surrounding her. "I was detained on Naboo for a while. The guards were coming at me for hours trying to wrangle a confession out of me."

"Go on…" Boba leaned in, munching on a s'more.

Tanya sighed dismally. This was where she inserted her pieces to the two year puzzle. "They were persistent. The guards kept on me for hours. Switching off every so often. But I wouldn't budge. Not for them." She closed her hands to the cup. "That is...until they let one of the clones walk in."

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

 _ **Tanya's Interrogation**_

" _TALK!" A dark skinned man slapped the table. His brow furrowed with such anger his eye patch came close to popping off. The dead faced Tanya refused to budge. Her vibrant purple eyes, abysmal grey, stared a hole in the table. She sat in the hot seat, bound by taut, elastic straps, and industrial grade cuffs restraining her hands behind._

Gregar Typho - Naboo's head of security, most reliable of council, and Padme's trusted guard and friend. He was first on scene after Tanya was arrested for her failed murder attempt. To describe how infuriated he was by Tanya's brash actions would be impossible. No words existed in any dictionary. He desired nothing more than to break Tanya like the porcelain doll she was. Make her beg and plead as he inflicted equal harm. Seeing her, how broken she was, his depravity subsided and was replaced by remorse. Nevertheless, he planned to play hardball. While he had no proof of it, he was certain Tanya had help lurking on Naboo. She's too young to execute a plan such as this. Although, as far as he was informed, Tanya was alone.

"Giving the silent treatment will only prolong this torture." Typho warned the silent girl, genuinely wishing to help her dig herself out of this hole. 'You know not what torture is.' Tanya rasped in her mind. Right then and there, Tanya concocted five different scenarios in which she could kill Typho slowly and then lie dozens of pieces of him across Naboo. "Please, Miss Fett. Help me to understand. Someone so young should not carry her burdens on her tiny shoulders. To let life be stolen before you truly live it." 'My life was already stolen.' He knelt beside her, extending her his most sincerest desires. "What could have possibly provoked an attack on the Queen? What has she done to you?" That's what made it worse. Her actions, the premature attack on Padme - she was not her target. 'She's done nothing.'

The doors to the interrogation cell flew open with a woosh. Typho stepped aside as three guests entered the regular sized room. For the first time in three hours, Tanya's eyes moved from the table, narrowing to demonic slits on the Korun Jedi - Mace Windu. Joining him was one of those dressed in white soldiers, and a stunted gremlin looking old man. Tanya couldn't fend the snarky chortle that escaped her throat. Typho was caught off guard by the noise. 'If these are their big guns, this will be shorter than I thought.'

"Master Windu, Master Yoda." Typho bowed respectfully to the Council Masters. "How is Senator Amidala?"

Yoda hummed pleasingly, raising Typho's hopes. "Shaken, but holding strong, she is." Yoda answered with a warm smile. "Strong, is her spirit. Even stronger, her hardened resolve is." Typho was relieved to hear that.

"Has she said anything?" Windu regretfully redirected the conversation. Senator Amidala's wellbeing is a priority, answers from Tanya were on the top of their list.

"No. And I don't think she will." Typho woefully informed. "A minor silverlining: this is the first time in hours she's removed her gaze from that table." Windu tensed, planting himself well away from Tanya. Her stare shredded his insides to ribbons. The force was pouring from her, her hatred strangling him.

"Pleased to meet you, am I, Tanya Fett." Yoda's tender tone dispersed the stifling intensity. He hobbled to her side, leaping onto the table. Tanya was caught off guard. 'The old man can move.' "Old, I am. But spritely as a child, do I remain at heart." Tanya's eyes widened. 'Did he read my mind?' "Reads minds, I do not. Expressions and body language," He tapped his cane to her shoulder and nose, "I do." Tanya scrunched her nose. She dug her feet and the chair screeched sliding a few feet away.

"Huh. I should have called you guys hours ago." Typho half joked.

"Afraid, you need not be, youngling. "Harm you, we will not." Yoda reassured her. Her lips parted, revealing animal fangs. A feral, guttural growl reverberated from her throat. Her eyes flickered between grey and purple, slits and orbs. Typho kept a hand to his pistol. The soldier curled a finger to his blaster trigger. "Hm. Kill me, you wish?" Yoda extended a hand. Tanya snapped her jaws. Yoda retracted the hand, feeling a breeze where she missed. He closely studied her shaking form, sensed the rage pouring from her every fiber. Yoda began to wonder if it was a girl or beast he was speaking with. "Pawns. Remove your helmet."

Typho, Windu, and the soldier named Pawns ogled the Grand Master confusedly. "Um...General?" Pawns pardoned.

"Remove your helmet." Yoda kept his sights trained to Tanya, watching for the slightest change or reaction. She kept her twisted rage locked to the gremlin. Her shoulders were shuffling. Hands behaving strangely. "Show Miss Fett, unafraid you are."

Pawns glanced to Windu. The Master nodded, assuring him it was alright. Pawns gave his helmet and twist and a tug. Tanya's eyes diverted to the complying soldier. In one fell swoop, as the helmet left his head, Tanya's rage just dropped. She went blank. Exactly what Yoda expected. The face beneath the helmet - Pawns' face - was that of another.

"Dad?" She whimpered, shaking uncontrollably. Typho and Windu's eyes widened with shock. Typho was more shocked that she spoke. Pawns looked around the room, unsure what was happening. "It can't be...Daddy..." Tanya leaned to get closer, tears welling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but..." Pawns rubbed the back of his head, unsure how to respond.

Tanya was about to be overcome by joy. Then she sensed something. Something off. "Wait..." She blinked at the man, sitting back with utter bewilderment. "You're not..."

"The man you resemble," Windu began, "You are a clone of Jango Fett. The man she knows as her father." Pawns gasped in surprise.

"A clone?" Tanya muttered. On Geonosis, there were hundreds of soldier dressed like him. "They're...all...clones?" She hung her head limply, desperately trying to process this. "You...kill him...then you...clone him? Use him...to do your dirty work?!" Her finger curled, nails puncturing her palms.

"A decision Jango Fett made without our knowledge." Windu educated the grief stricken girl. "The people of Kamino supplied Pawns and thousands of others. The Clone soldiers-"

"GYYAAHH!" Hands wrapped to his neck, smashing him in the wall. A wild animal - Tanya - smashed his head over and over into the wall, nails clawing his his face and body. Yoda, Typho, and Pawns were so caught off guard they were rooted in place. "YOU KILLED HIM! YOU KILLED HIM!" She fought viciously, blindly attacking him. Madness in her eyes she just attacked him. "YOU KILLED HIM...THEN YOU...PLAY GOD...WITH HIS D-N-A!" She punched him in a fury.

Yoda thrust a hand. Tanya was ripped off him, plastered to the wall on the other side. Tanya hadn't given up the fight. She continued to struggle, gaining leeway with her limbs.

"Are you aright, General?!" Pawns panicked. Windu was riddled with bruises and scratches.

"I'm...fine..." He groaned, rubbing his neck. His esophagus felt cracked.

"I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" Tanya screamed at the top of her lungs. She would get free and would be shoved back on the wall. "THE JEDI...THAT STUPID SENATOR...ALL OF THOSE CLONES...YOU!" The animal in her glued to Windu. "One day...you'll see..." Tears rolled down her cheeks, profuse, salty waterfalls. I'LL KILL YOU AND DRAG YOU TO HELL!"

 **Present Day**

"Yeesh. Don't you know how to get a point across." Boba mocked her.

"As if you're any less subtle." Tanya tossed a s'more in her mouth. "I'm not the one who set off every alarm on the cruiser."

"I had to! Otherwise those Jedi and clones would have caught me!"

"How the heck did you even get on the cruiser anyway?" Tanya wondered. Boba's always been better at her at sneaking through cracks. He's more snake like than her. "Security was tighter than skinny leggings on a Hutt."

"There are always holes for fellow cruisers." Boba winked. "After I left the hospital on Kerwan, I hijacked a Naboo cruiser. Went well for a while. Until..."

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

 _ **Boba Traveling in Space**_

 _Kerwan wasn't far from Naboo. Both resided in the same system, so they were practically neighbors. However a six hour trip felt like six days. He couldn't put it out of his mind. Tanya alone for six hours, having who knows what done to her. She attacked a beloved senator and was apprehended by Jango's murderer. It won't take them long to put two and two together. She won't last long._

Boba was constantly on edge, screaming at the cruiser to fly faster, and practically crashing into others with his space rage. Similar to road rage, only there's no road. 'I'm coming Tanya! I'm coming!' He recited repeatedly, pleading for Tanya to keep a lid of her less than flattering Berserk Assassin personas until he got there. 'Don't do anything stupid until I get there!' Not that he had room to lecture her. It's because of his carelessness he ended up in the hospital. By putting his health on the line, he may have triggered this. Like his dad always told him: on a team, we are responsible for ourselves and all. Sacrificing one for the other jeopardizes both.

Boba needed a plan. A good plan. Naboo's on high alert because they're Queen was not only attacked, a Master Jedi had his life threatened. No way they're going to allow anyone in. Visitors, family - no one. Defcon one security was likely already in effect. Given Tanya's a force sensitive child, they may initiate a Deathcon two. Stun three times, kill on the fourth. Boba threw the ship into overdrive on that scary thought. Tanya's not one to behave herself for long. The only question - actually there's tons of questions. All of which don't come with an escape plan once he's secured Tanya. Knowing her she's going to try to

Cold, long fingers curled to his shoulder. "So what exactly do you plan to do once you get there?" Boba fell out of the seat. His heart leapt out of his chest. Aurra Sing leaned on the pilot's chair, sniggering at his reaction.

"Aurra? What...when..." He panted. He hated it when she does that. 'When exactly did she sneak on?'

"Is that really what you want to ask?" She teased. Boba lowered his head, an obvious no. Aurra sat in the chair, crossing her legs and arms with serious expression. Almost disappointed in Boba. "Your sister's gotten herself in deep trouble. She let grief lead her instead of a clear head. Don't tell me you planned to follow her lead."

"N-No..." He trailed off. A lie, in a way. He wasn't going to charge in, use force powers, and come out with nary a scratch. He was missing the second one in order to do that. Not to mention security was on high alert. A mouse couldn't sneak in without being shot. "I'm at least going to be stealthy."

"Stealthy! That's a good start." Aurra exclaimed sarcastically. "And then you'll go crazy when you see Daddy's killer and get caught?"

"I would have thought of something!" He had to. Tanya was counting on him. She needed him. He needed her. She's all he has left.

"Then what?!" Aurra spat. "What would you have done?" She yanked him by the collar, demanding he answer. "You'll pull off a miraculous escape? Ride off into nowhere with your half crazed sister in hand?"

"She's not half crazed!"

"Well she's not in her right mind either!" Aurra shoved him. Boba staggered to keep on his feet. "My informants on Naboo tell me she charged in and flew into a frenzy."

Boba froze. He squeezed his hands. He was afraid of that. That look in her eye that day. He should have seen it. "What's happening to her right now?" He asked defeatedly. "What are they doing to Tanya?"

Aurra was pleased he decided to calm down a bit to listen. But she could see he still planned to go in without any forethought. "Tanya's being transported to Coruscant in two hours. There she will stand trial and be sentenced." She answered ominously.

"Aurra, they're going to give her the death sentence for this!" Boba's voice cracked.

"I don't doubt it."

"We have to...WE HAVE TO SAVE HER!" His voice cracked with desperation.

"I don't know about saving her..." Aurra trailed off, activating the emergency beacon on the cruiser. "But I do know a way how you can see her."

 **Present Day**

"Her plan wouldn't have anything to do with that explosion I heard?" Tanya dreadfully predicted. Boba bobbed his head drearily. Tanya palmed her face, unable to believe Aurra nearly blew themselves up for her.

"That wasn't even the worst of it." Boba groaned dismally. "The cruiser I stole - the owner reported it an hour before we found the cruiser you were on." That must have been the hitch in Boba's plan. Aside from Aurra showing up. "When our emergency beacon was responded to, they already received the APB on the ship. And boy did that welcoming committee respond."

 _ **Three Years Ago**_

 _ **Blind Siding the Republic**_

 _"General!" Pawns rushed to the bridge. Windu and Yoda arched curious brows to the winded soldier. "The Naboo Cruiser reported stolen has sent out a distress beacon! It's to our rear port side!"_

"Signs of life?" Windu replied anxiously.

"Two sir! We suspect they may be the thieves." Pawns silently cursed the obviousness of his report. Who else would be in possession of a stolen cruiser? "We've attempted contact but have received nothing."

"Use the tractor beam and draw the cruiser in. But stay on guard!" Windu added fervently. "We don't know if the thieves are dangerous."

"Yes sir! Activate tractor beam near rear port side!" He commanded the bridge personnel. They gave him a quick reply and locked on the target drifting aimlessly to the port. "Units 1 and 2, converge in the landing bay!" Pawns shouted over the coms. "Possible hostels boarding. They may be injured. Prepare sick bay."

"Yes sir!"

 _ **xxx**_

 _The Naboo Cruiser was ensnared by the beam, firmly yet gently being guided to a safe landing in the center of the hangar. Two teams of six Clones flooded the hangar, guns aimed and set to stun at the slightest sign of hostility. Four more clones, the medical team, rushed in with two gurneys. Their kits were set, and they were ready to rescue whoever was inside._

"PASSENGERS ABOARD NABOO CRUISER," Sgt. Crass beckoned loudly, "Come out slowly with your hands in the air!" The other five clones steadily stalked forward, surrounding to the cruiser's cockpit and exit. Meanwhile, Crass had yet to receive an answer. "Unknown Passengers aboard Naboo Cruiser! Exit the cruiser immediately with your hands up or we will be forced to enter and subdue you!" Once again Crass's warning touched deaf ears, leaving him no choice. He directed two erect fingers forward. The three troopers at the rear nodded.

Hac-Tac plugged his datapad into a slot at the rear exit slot. Two-Tone and Sling-Slack waited on either side, primed to strike should the quiet persons move. The cruiser locks were released. The door opened and lowered. Sling-Slack and Two-Tone twisted around, aiming inside. It was empty. Hac-Tac turned to Crass, shaking his head. Crass approved entry, signing for them to tread with caution. Hac-Tac entered first, lightly stepping in case their guests were hiding...somewhere. Sling-Slack and Two-Tone entered after him. Hac-Tac caught sight of a bulging silhouette at the helm. He gestured onward to his teammates. The three aimed their guns.

"Huh? What's this?" Sling-Slack noticed an open hatch leading to the battle cruiser's floor. He peered down. "Hey T-T, check this out." A shaft was popped on the floor.

Hac-Tac crossed the threshold. A green laser at the floor turned red. A high frequency alarm blared. "GET OUT!" Too late. The cruiser disintegrated in a fiery explosion. Crass and the team outside taken out with it.

 _ **xxx**_

 _Deep within the ventilation shafts in the floor, Boba and Aurra smirked proudly at their handiwork. They felt the blast on the other side of the hangar doors._

"Think anyone heard that?" Boba snickered.

"If not, I need to work on my craft."

 _ **xxx**_

 _The explosion raised the alarms all throughout the ship. Windu, Yoda, Pawns, and the bridge personnel were startled into a panic. "WHAT'S HAPPENING?!" Windu roared._

"There's been an explosion in the hangar!" One of the personnel reported urgently. He tapped away at the panel, managing to find a video that caught the whole scenario. "The Naboo Cruiser we retrieved self destructed. Units 1 and 2 were caught in the explosion! The medical team is still alive!"

"What about the life signals detected earlier?" Pawns spoke up.

"Negative, sir! We aren't detecting any life on or near the ship!"

"Get a rescue team in the hangar and contain the damage!" Windu ordered heatedly. No life signals. Not even so much as warm, dying bodies. "And be on the lookout! This may be a ploy!"

"Yes sir!" Pawns and the others saluted. Pawns issued a code 3 convergence on the hangar and authorized all troopers to be on their guard.

"This can't be a coincidence!" Windu hissed at Yoda.

"Agreed with you, I am. Tanya Fett, where is she now?"

 **Present Day**

"You and I know what happens next." Boba ended that part of the story. He picked up the empty plate and cup and went into the kitchen to get more. "Aurra and I find you, and you're so out of it you don't even notice us." Boba mumbled hurt. It was fresh in his mind. The distant stare in Tanya's eyes. The wall in her way, but the vastness of events that led to that very moment replaying over and over. Her body becoming nothing more than a husk.

Tanya wrapped her arms around herself, sinking lower and lower in her shame. The guilt that had been riding her for years. "I heard you." Tanya rested on her arms on the couch's backrest. "I heard you calling to me, swearing you'd get me out." She smiled with tears welling in her eyes. "And..." That day was trapped in a haze. She could see shapes, her lips muttering. "I told you to run. To leave."

"Yeah...you did." Boba subconsciously slammed the creamer in the fridge. Tanya jumped. Boba didn't mean to, but he was beyond upset, even after three years. "If you heard me…" He trailed off, pouring the coffee, "Why didn't you answer me? Why didn't you...at least...try to be happy to see me?!"

"Because if I had you would have broken me out." She sighed somberly. Boba froze with a S'more in hand. Tanya's ears drooped, her sad eyes dropping to the floor. She shook her head, clamping her ears closed. "I wanted nothing more than to go with you. But I knew, if I stayed with you, I'd just put you in the hospital again."

Boba dropped the s'more, gobsmacked by what she just said. "You think you did that?" He exclaimed heatedly. "Tanya...you...ugh..." Boba was flustered at a loss for words. "That wasn't your fault!"

"I'm responsible for you! You ended up in the hospital because I was consumed by rage!"

"Wrong!" Boba grasped her by the collar, close to yanking her over the couch. "You did absolutely nothing! It's my own fault I ended up in the hospital! Not yours!"

"I'm older!"

"So what!" He shoved her into the couch arm. "You're not my mom! You're not my dad! You're my sister!" Tanya failed to see the difference. She's his guardian. She promised Jango that she'd always look after him. "You and me - us against the world! The only ones we count on are each other. Be the voice of reason when it's gone."

"I...abandoned...you!" Tears flowed down her cheeks. "I left you alone! And after that cruiser fiasco, you were left with a homicidal sniper! Do you have the slightest idea how many times I've kicked myself?"

"Do you have any idea how many times I've kicked MYSELF? I'm the one who knows you the best, and I missed it where you were going to do something stupid!"

"It seemed smart at the time." She pouted.

"So did going to break you out." Boba twisted his hair. "There was no was I would have made it out with the state you were in."

"Especially since you blew up your ride." She laughed.

"Hey, we borrowed another one! Left it parked on Cato Neimoidia." He chuckled.

"Explosive surprise?"

"A colorful one." He winked.

"Evil little boy, you are."

"Learn from the best." He smashed a palm on her head, ruffling her hair. "Crazy is contagious, you know."

Tanya hooked him by the neck, flipping him onto her lap, and dealing him a playful noogie. Boba broke free, tackling Tanya to the floor. The two laughed and roughhoused for a good while. Furniture knocked over, things broke. Hair was pulled, tails were stepped on, eyes were poked. When it was all said and done, and Tanya and Boba were out of breath, they lied sprawled on the floor. Stitches were in their sides from laughing so hard.

"The last time we did this, I think we were actually trying to kill each other." Boba heaved dryly.

"Good thing the furniture was tacky."

"Try telling that to the owner." Boba shuddered. "The lady's still having local authorities find out who did it so she can sue us."

"How much could that junk possibly cost?"

"Um..." Boba trolled his memory. He heard the estimate over local chatter. "Close to 200,000 credits." Tanya's skin dropped off her pale cheeks. "That's what I said. Best to make sure she never finds out."

"No kidding." Tanya plugged her nose. "That junk reeked like cats."

"She owns five of them. Purebreds from Zygerria."

"Yeesh. Kill me if it ever comes to that." Tanya leaned up on her hands, fixing her hair. It was getting late. Not that they had too many plans tomorrow, but better to be rested in case something comes up. "I'm going to head off to bed."

"Hold on." Boba sat on a leg. "What were you up to while in prison?"

"Oh yeah." Tanya thought for a moment. "The trial was sure swift. I was offered a litigator, but turned him down."

"Why's that?"

"I had nothing to hide. And...at the time...I didn't care."

 **Three Years Ago**

 **Tanya's Tribunal Terror**

 _Enraged voices shouted curses and profanities at Tanya. The tribunal hall echoed deafeningly loud with wishes for her death. Tanya's wiry hair obscured half her deadpanned face. Everyone in that massive room nothing more than blurs with mouth pieces. The crazed smile on her lips stretched as she sensed their cowardly anger. Everyone screaming for her death were political figures. People who send others to do their dirty work. They wanted her dead. But they want someone else to do it to keep the persona they were squeaky clean._

"Tanya Fett..." Chancellor Palpatine beckoned. The room instantly fell silent. Tanya peered up at the aged man, unable to hide her derisive smirk. It was be so easy to break him in half from where she stood. "You are charged with Treason, Conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and numerous other charges I shudder to read aloud." Tanya was a little disappointed. She wanted her achievements to be known across the Republic. Remind them what happens when they take from her. "How do you plead?"

"To everything but the treason charge? GUILTY!" She threw her head back, howling with laughter. Windu, Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Shaak-Ti were appalled. A pitiful sight to see someone so young vacant of her mind.

"Why not treason?" Palpatine argued, genuinely curious.

"Because treason implies I was loyal to this hypocritical faction to begin with." She knows they have her rap sheet. They are fully aware she's a bounty hunter. Her loyalties resided with those who pay and those she loved. "I'm loyal to no one but myself! Or those I hold in high regard." She added teasingly.

"And who do you hold in this regard?"

"Obviously not that lolita Queen, or that Korun dogging me in the stands!" She spat. "I'm curious. Can she really use that pistol she carries? Or is an accessory to give an impression?" Padme bit her lip. Shaak-Ti put a hand on her shoulder, imploring the Senator to remain calm. "Hard to compensate for something you never had to begin with, Amidala!"

"Enough!" Palpatine roared. Tanya puffed her bangs. She savored Padme's deathly. It was like ambrosia. 'The little Senator feels a murderous impulse for a first time.' "By the admission of these charges, Miss Fett, you face the death penalty or possible life in prison." He forewarned, wishing Tanya would be reasonable. "Are you certain you wish for no contest?"

"Why bother?" Tanya shrugged indifferently. There was a gleam in her eye that made Palpatine stiffen. "The charges, and the body count, are only going to keep piling up."

 **Present Day**

"By some strange twist of fate, I was given life in prison. all the perks with it." Tanya was still astounded to this day. She's always wondered what provoked them to letting her rot in jail. Maybe a hidden sadism prompted the idea. "Before I knew Alexei was the one sending guards after me, I'd receive frequent visits in the basement by guards looking to...take all manner of frustrations out on me." She didn't need to elaborate. Boba got the message loud and clear. "Those two years I spent racking up my time, I also created a name for myself. I wasn't running the prison, but I had eyes and ears everywhere keeping me up to date." Boba wasn't surprised. Tanya's good at getting what she wants. "What about you?"

"Nothing really worth mentioning." He shrugged. "Aurra kept me in eye shot, but I mostly kept to myself. Taking odd and dangerous jobs to enhance my skills." Sounds about right. Boba enjoyed operating on his own. It allowed him to focus, heighten his senses for when he's alone against the universe. He's better at it. "The past two years you were gone, I've been to so many planets, met so many varieties of people - my head still spins thinking about it. I've even taken on a few of the clones."

"What do you think of them?" She interlaced her fingers, intrigued by his opinion.

"They may look like Dad, but they're far from matching his skills." Tanya scoffed under her breath. She's drawn the same conclusion. She likes Chopper and Slick, but they're no Jango Fett. "No wonder hundreds of them die every mission."

"There is actually a decently long list of those who fit the bill." Tanya happened to have that list in her room at her desk. She'll show it to him later. "The fact still remains, be they dad or not they possess field of expertise that can potentially kill us if we drop our guard."

"Does that mean you're scared?" Boba teased.

"Nope. I'm pointing out how much fun our jobs in the Republic are going to be." She crooned, licking her lips. "We will need to be careful though. Mace has this annoying quirk of finding me from opposite ends the universe. He catches wind of me, you better believe he's going to find time for a visit."

"Let him. It's easier to kill a Jedi when they're out of their comfort zone." Boba stood, stretching his arms behind his back. He grinned evilly to Tanya. "The only question is, when do we bring his world crashing down around him?"

Tanya's lips parted into a demonic, toothy grin. "The same way he brought our down." She purred. The fire of Hell flickered in her vibrant eyes. "When he least expects it."

 **To be continued.**

 **See you later.**


	5. These Voices in My Head

**These Voices in My Head**

 **Alright, I'm inspired to continue.**

 **As a quick recap -**

 _ **Tanya and Boba are off on their own, removing the rust on their old skills, and taking on odd jobs in an effort to weed out Crimson Knight affiliates. Tanya has vowed vengeance against the Jedi, and Boba plans to help out. Windu is worried for his Padawan, and is always wondering where she is.**_

 **xxx**

"Master? It's time to wake up, Master." A gloved blue hand massaged a bald, chocolate brown scalp. Eyebrows furrowed at the intrusive touch. Lips stretched in an impish smirk. The hand shook the master by the shoulder. "And you want to call me lazy." The voice was female, but the slumbering man wasn't interested at the moment. Tired grunts escaped the reluctant man His hand shooed the other away. The mysterious presence giggled at his childish antics. "Open your eyes, Mace," The way his name rolled off the tongue sent shocks to his weary system, "You'll be late for the briefing."

"Tanya?"

Heavily drowsy eyes slowly greet the dawn of another day. Mace Windu, leading member of the Jedi Council, awakens to his room. A couple of plants in the corner, a place for meditation, and the Tea Maker automatically adhering to a timer to begin brewing some tea. Windu tossed his legs over the edge of his bed. He felt like he was dragging pounds of lead each time he moved. He stretched his arms above and behind his head. Pleasant cracks snapped down his neck and spine, jostling sleepy muscles awake. He leaned on his knees, letting his head hang as he collected his thought.

A cool breeze invaded from the slightly opened window. The sounds of Coruscant definitely started to wake him up. The cacophonous noise aside, it was no real surprise to him that he's awoken to another blissful day. A crisp morning with overcast skies teeming with the chances of the day running smoothly. He was tempted to fall back asleep he was so relaxed. Almost. A Jedi's work is never done. Taking another selfish moment for himself could have dire consequences.

"It's a sign. I'm getting old." He laughed at himself. He ran a palm over his smooth, shaven head. ' _Told you so._ ' Jolts shot through his fingers. He froze the hand where it lied. His eyes were wide. He's sure he's feeling his hand. But...another hand overshadowed his and was touching him. A smaller hand. He gazed upon the palm, utterly stunned and confused. The sensation of his head being touched by another crawled over the skin. And that voice. Was it his imagination? Or... ' _Time to wake up, Master_.' The smaller palm pronounced itself. Palms marred by years of weapon wielding callouses. Knuckles bruised from endless raids of battle. Yet the touch spoke volumes of of the gentle nature of the owner.

Windu wants to believe he is merely sleep deprived. Or, simply, past events are playing on a twinge of guilt he holds, coaxing him to feel what is not there. However, the other part of him has another theory. One that makes his stomach curdle. That the force is keeping Tanya - the Tanya he knows and grew to admire - alive within him in hopes he will not give up on her.

"Tanya..."

Disappointment grasps Windu's heart in a vengeance as he mutters her name. He tries to ignore it. The empty nest feeling. Were it so simple as that. Empty nest is what he calls unyielding guilt. If not for a second every other day, Windu wakes up each day hoping Tanya would be right there. In or out of the room - Tanya was the first one to greet him in the morning, warning him with her usual cynicism that he'd sleep the entire day if she wasn't there. Alas the room was empty. As it always is. And strangely, the silence gripped him.

"I need to get ready!" He snapped at himself.

The hot shower water did nothing to rid Windu of these troubling feelings. The beating jets assuaged age and war worn muscles to their full vigor, only to be weakened again by guilt. Nine months - Tanya and Windu battle Droids, attended matters of diplomacy, and confronted their own demons. In those trying efforts they reached a common ground. A new friendship was developed, completing the hearts of two loners who kept the universe at arms length. He had done what Jango himself failed to do. Rid Tanya of nightmares. Calm the beasts within her. She was on the verge of recovery. If not hitting a few bumps in the road. Then, in just one day, it was all ruined. The trust Windu earned from Tanya - and vice versa - turned to ash right before his eyes.

"I should have told you..." He pounded on the wall.

A program created by former Chancellor Valorum surreptitiously claimed Tanya as an unwilling participant. Her fate at the end of a one year term was to be decided by 25 _impartial_ committee members. Initially, as a means to lure her to their side, Master Yoda and Chancellor Palpatine promised her a full pardon and sanctuary. In return she would offer her cooperation. Never had it been intended to be revealed - the true motives of her release. A way to prove whether or not hardened criminals could be reformed. Tanya was close. Like six others. Unfortunately, out of the mouth of Grievous, Tanya learned of the program and her mind and heart shattered. What made it worse was a rumor conveyed by a fellow criminal that the Republic had those six killed for wounding their pride. The barrier Tanya lowered was recast thicker than ever. Any who passed were met with stabs. In the end, she was offered absolute freedom to do as she pleased. Valorum swore on his honor she would be released after she aided him in a delicate matter.

Windu hoped Tanya would have cooled off by the time the mission ended. Come to her senses and retrieve the lightsaber she left behind. Like she always did. Long battles, missions spanning days often calm her down. Five months later, not one word from his former padawan. She hasn't attempted to make contact in any way. By all appearances she dropped off the face of the universe. Chairman Papanoida, Jar-Jar Binks, Ahsoka, Queen Milan - none of them have heard from her in those five months. Although, even if they did, it was highly unlikely they would admit it. Tanya advocated that she has friends everywhere. In places no one would think to look. It wouldn't surprise him in the least if one of them were hiding her. Duchess Satine, who seldom calls to see if Tanya has returned, voices her abhorrence of Mace Windu's honor. She need not trouble herself. Windu felt worse than when he tried to place her on another Master's shoulders.

Every so often Windu passed by Tanya's old room. Flashes of their time together would fill him with joy and sorrow. He was not the only one. But the time for mourning her choice is long passed. The Republic needs a Jedi General. Not a depressed sap. Although, to say he missed Tanya's random flamboyance was an understatement.

 **xxx**

The Council room offered very little distraction for the first 15 minutes. Windu leaned on an elbow, propping an inquisitive chin on his knuckles. Fellow Council Members discussed recent movements made by the Separatists in the war. Throught the outer rim, the more supporters for the Confederate alliance are sprouting. Neutral planets lending aid as Humanitarians are abruptly closing their open hands in a desperate hope to blockade the war from their doorstep. Motions on how to handle the rising oppositions are frequently voiced by a handful in the senate. An equal amount are dismissed due to cost, or being seen as a sign of weakness in these trying times. Concern amongst the Jedi reached even the Younglings. It is not hopeless to turn the tide of war back to their favor. It is merely another trial on top of others.

Windu gave the appearance he was listening. A few times he nodded and properly responded. The hand on his scalp continued to nag him. As he sat there waiting for the meeting to begin, he felt now, running side to side as if to comfort him. In the back of his mind he was convinced it was Tanya's. Because of that voice he heard.

 _Was that Tanya's voice I heard?_ He doubted, thinking he was going insane. He stroked where the hand bothered him. 'Is she telling me she's fine?'

"Master Windu?" Shaak-Ti's tender tone coaxed him back to reality. "Are you alright? You seem distracted."

"No! My apologies." He lied through a half chuckle. "I had trouble sleeping last night." She raised a skeptical brow. Windu being a private person made him difficult to talk to. However, his body language gives him away at times. "Now then, we were discussing the ongoing turmoil on Ryloth." He slyly changed the subject.

"What news on Skywalker and his Padawan is there?" Yoda addressed Obi-Wan.

"They are gaining little headway with the blockade surrounding Ryloth." Obi-Wan reported grimly. "Anakin has a plan in mind, but he's also taking this time to allow Ahsoka command of her own squad."

"So soon?" Mundi voiced his surprise. "Is she ready for such a hefty responsibility?"

"No one is ever truly ready, Master Mundi." Tiin elucidated his fellow master on the delicate matter. "None of us here were ready to be Master or Council. Time and Experience are what prepare us. Confidence and patience send us forth."

Mundi chuckled, recalling when he was named Master. He finds his head reeling at the former prospect. "Of course. You are right, Master Tiin." Tiin bowed his head, understanding Mundi's concerns. "What of your Padawan, Master Unduli?" Mundi welcomed Luminara, interested in the younger Mirialan. "How is she faring?"

"Barriss is leading a relief team to Geonosis to lend aid to the innocents wronged in the war." Luminara proudly announced.

"Good. A friendly face in these trying times will offer them morale overall."

"Speaking of one's morale..." Tiin slid attention to the partially distracted Windu, "Have you heard from your Padawan, Master Windu? How is Tanya fairing?" Tanya's name caused a noticeable stiffness amongst the council.

Windu was snared in ice. He gripped at the arm rests, fortifying himself as he mustered courage to answer the quizzical gazes. "I do not know, Master Tiin." He choked. Brows furrowed in lack of surprise. If it were that Tanya wished to communicate with them, she never would have destroyed her comlink in the first place. "She...she does not wish to be found." Gloom hung on his words.

When Tanya wishes to stay hidden, she will obscure her presence until she is ready. Before her departure, she crushed her comlink, bolstering her choice to leave. Windu dared not ask Hondo, Scroop, or Carver if they have seen her. Those three are as mysterious as they are dangerous. He does not want turmoil with those not involved in the current war. Satine, who learned of Tanya's disappearance, expressed support in her choice to leave. After all, it was offered to her in exchange for her services. What she chose to do with that offer was entirely up to her. The Republic, The Jedi - there is no fault to be placed. Tanya left of her own volition, she will return for the same reason.

"Wherever she is…" Windu closed his eyes, feeling her palm on his head once more, "I know she is healthy and happy.

 **xxx**

"Hm?" Tanya's ears erected, twisting to the sides. A place in the back of her mind tingled. She hummed thoughtfully, turning away from her card game with Boba. She stared out the window of their recently acquired cruiser. An affordable asset due to their rising success rate in jobs, and the money left to them by Jango. Nothing but the endless void of space and the stars that come with it. As it has been for the past six hours. So why did she think someone would be there? Unless they can fly, or breathe in space, no one would be able to reach them.

"What's up?" Boba drew from the deck then added the next highest card to the pile.

"Uh...it's nothing." Tanya willed herself to focus on the game. Boba's beaten her five times in a row. She can't afford to be distracted. _Strange_. She got this weird feeling someone was talking about her. Must be her imagination. Being trapped in the vast abyss of space tends to have hallucinogenic effects on a person. A clone fresh off Kamino thought he saw a unicorn. _Ha-Ha. Spaze. Always jumpy._

Roughly 43 hours ago, Boba and Tanya completed a job for a major art mogul on Planet Eezehl who...has no real sense of art or aesthetic himself. He was looking to open his new exhibit by weeks' end, and the kick off would be displaying some of the best works he's _personally_ curated himself. Stone carved statues, ceramics, paintings, etc. A couple, he says, he drew himself. An absolute lie. Truthfully, the man wasn't able to draw a stick figure without it resembling...something else. Ancient scriptures that have been worn away by several millennia of dust storms and floods are feasibly distinguishing compared to his works. Digressing to the mission, this no talent mogul _claimed_ that a rival museum owner had stolen from his collection, and was going to put those works on displays the next week. A favored tactic by businessmen. Wait for a rival to have a pitiful opening, and then rise from their ashes and become an instant sensation. The art world of Eezehl is very cutthroat. In accordance with their ruthless ways, the _robbed_ owner was willing to pay 500 credits per stolen artwork recovered. The red flag: _He never specified a number, only named the brandings._

Long story short, Boba and Tanya cleaned out the rival, earning a hearty 9,000 credits. Their employer was very pleased and couldn't wait to open his museum. What the employer did not realize - and after making the mistake of paying them - is that Boba spliced into the inventory history systems of both museums and discovered their employer didn't have a single piece of art to his name. In fact, further digging unveiled that he's notorious in the art world for displaying and selling pieces that belonged to other art patrons. Nothing ever proven, but stacks of allegations. In spite of his reputation, his museum has been the most beloved, and the fame and notoriety lined his pockets. What doesn't sell is just moved to the basement. Feeling played and used for tools, Boba and Tanya planned a little _repo_. While Boba erased all records, claims, insurances - any sort of digital paper trail - of their _employer's_ assets, Tanya proposed a business deal to the robbed owner. Return the stolen goods along with a few other acquisitions. He jumped on the deal and paid double what the previous owner did. After everything was said and done, Boba and Tanya collected their winnings and jetted off before they were caught in the hairy crossfire that is likely ensuing.

Roughly two days later, Tanya and Boba were drifting aimlessly in autopilot of their new cruiser. Kerwan in the destination, but they were taking the scenic route to scout jobs. Since Eezehl was in Confederate Airspace, new jobs were in abundance. Although, being this far in Separatist airspace did very little to calm Tanya's nerves. The idea that Count Dooku or one of his cronies could fly by at any time knotted her stomach. This is why she likes living in neutral space. Less chances of running into him...or someone from the Republic.

"Any word on our _friends_ lately. Makes me nervous they haven't tried to pay us a visit yet." Tanya tapped her chin thoughtfully on her next play.

By _friends_ , she was speaking of the Crimson Knights. A rival organization of mercenaries with a hand in every pocket of society. Young and old, rich and poor - a handful even sit at the top of the food chain as Nobles and Royalty. The rumor is that there may be Knights intermingled in parts of certain senates. It wouldn't be surprising. No matter. The Knights can hide however deep underground, or however high above the clouds. There's no limit of the reach The Creed of Bounty Hunters. No mercenary or target is safe from them. If anything, the borders of politics are child's play for them to traverse. After all, members and associates of The Creed are within the Republic and Confederacy, and Neutral worlds.

"Scroop and Aura say the Crimson Knights are being unusually quiet." Boba monotonously answered. He watched her discard to another pile and add to the old pile. "After that mess on Incarces, there's talks that they've exposed themselves. So they're waiting for the smoke to clear so they can blend in again."

Tanya wasn't able to stifle a victorious laugh. "In other words, things didn't quite go according to plan, therefore they've gone into hiding to lick their wounds." She licked her lips hungrily. "Annalise's death and Lightraide's arrest must have taken them by surprise." That's an understatement.

A few short months ago, the Crimson Knights emerged from a two year long stasis and launched an organized attack on Xansa Prison. Not counting Kashjeen's - Tanya's treacherous uncle, and short lived member of the Knight's - appearance on Aetha a while before. Xansa was housed to the worst of the worst from the farthest corners of the Outer Rim and within Republic borders. It was also a nesting ground for those who failed Finis Valorum's Reformation Program. Keith Lightraide, long time friend of Valorum and Warden of the prison, accepted these ne'er do wells into his prison, no questions asked. However, what started off as a flicker grew into a blaze of resentment.

A personal vendetta of an operation sought and lead by the Knight's own number eight assassin, Annalise Vanderpool, The Crimson Knights initiated a hostile coup. Control over Xansa was almost instant, and no mercy was shown. Prisoners were allowed to run rampant, every other guard bore the mark of the Knight, and there was nowhere for anyone to hide. Vanderpool's brother was also an unwitting participant of Finis Valorum's Prisoner Reformation Program. Just like Tanya. As it so happens, there were six others before Tanya and apparently they were all killed by the very Republic that agreed to the program for proving to be a success. Revenge burned in Vanderpool, as it does Tanya. She called on the aid of Strep Thrax, an Osmosis **(** _ **Plural**_ **)** from Planet Frax, inmate of Xansa, and The Knight's deadliest Number IV operative. He set the odds in her favor while she executed the hunt for Valorum. Word of his arrival to Xansa prison reached her ear via Lightraide, who also happened to be a _retired_ member of the Knights, and despied receiving the trash of Valorum's idiotic program. Thwarted though they were, it was a hollow victory for the Republic. Lightraide was a traitor, Thrax escaped, Tanya vanished without a trace, and now word is Daniella Crass - the new warden - is turning the prison into a boot camp and petitioning for the death penalty for all lifers. A lot happens in five months.

"Annalise Vanderpool - Number VIII, The Clean Assassin." Boba played his next card, as if he were about to summon the Zabrak woman to the plain. Tanya smirked at her title and number. There can be only one assassin who is eighth in line. "She's dead?"

"And buried, thanks to your truly." Tanya's bow was her next card played.

"What about other Knight Members? What are their locations?" Boba quizzed while debating his next move.

"There's one in a prison on Coruscant. He's in the same maximum security section I was in before Mace swooped me up."

Boba propped a baffled brow, staring skeptically at her indifferent response. "They kept you in a normal prison?"

Tanya slapped a hand to her face, throwing her head back in laughter. " _Normal_ isn't the right word. This particular prison is designed for... _the unique._ " Unique as in a worse danger posed than an army. "Those of us with talents and skills that make us a threat to every branch of society."

"I guess I highly functional sociopathic escape artist would be rather unpleasant to have running around in public housing." Boba snickered. "So, who's the guy that was locked up with you."

"Alexei Shroder - Number V, The Malefic Tactician."

A well known member amongst the Knights, and not to be trifled with. Now, Boba and Tanya knew better than to question a person and their numerical placement. The numbers are more of a false sense of security measure than a bar setter. Thrax may be a loose cannon in a higher slot, but Shroder is the real brains in the top ten.

"If he hasn't been moved yet, he's being kept in the subterranean solitary confinement suites." Tanya warned as Boba drew then discarded. "Security there is like clockwork, and they rely on elite guardsmen - including clones and droids - from ally planets. But that hasn't stopped Alexei from stretching his legs." She drew that line in the sand right there. "He's sent his goons to try and kill me. That's how I racked up an extra year or two." And she'd do it all again in a heartbeat.

"Figures." Boba rolled his eyes. He wondered why Tanya seemed to loose outside privileges every other month. And why she was sentenced to 3,000 years instead of just being called a lifer. "My sources tell me Lightraide has been moved to a prison that is still on Incarces that it outmatches Xansa Prison." It will have to. Crass is still working to repair what the Knights and their coup damaged. Housing criminal will be a challenge if she can't fix the systems. "He's awaiting trial in a couple of months. Until then, he is being detained in an unknown location under witness protection."

"Witness protection?!" Tanya spouted in outrage.

"Complete with ankle monitor and 24/7 security."

"How does he get wit-sec, and limited freedom?!" She didn't get that! She got a _one or the other_ option with so many loopholes and contingencies she might as well have stayed in her prison cell. She's actually a little jealous.

"Two words! _Stool-Pigeon!_ " Boba gruffly retorted.

Tanya's jaw dropped in abject disbelief. "He's turned a rat?!"

"Yep. And Word is he might receive leniency due to his relationship with Finis Valorum."

Tanya's raged was quelled by surprise. She touched her chin pensively, mulling over that Valorum and Lightraide are being used copacetically in the same sentence. She does keep tabs of Valorum, but last she heard he hasn't been in contact with Valorum since the incident. Valorum's foolishly empathetic towards others, but he isn't too great a fool. Once he discovers a person's true roots under their bud, he never forgets about them and harbors that knowledge for future reference. Although, since Lightraide is an old friend, mercy would not be too far off from being put on the table. Agreeing to be a rat on other criminals certainly draws drool.

"In spite of his criminal connections, it's being taken into account that - and rumored - that he was under duress." Tanya scoffed in disgust. If he was under duress than Tanya's possessed by Darth Bane himself. "Turns out, Judicial systems on Incarces are familiar with the inner workings of us _Criminal Organizers._ " Boba used air quotes while directing to their Creed Marks, and the Knight marks. At this point, who HASN'T become familiar with the Knights or Creed. The only thing neither one has done is throw their crimes up in neons lights. "Through his own connections, Lightraide is held up in a Noble's Suite on the upper south side of Incarces. Full treatment. From room service to a 100 mile view."

In other words, he and his top notch legal team have ensured he's being pampered and spoiled until his trial. Tax payer's money at its best. Still, though he's living in the lap of luxury, he isn't a threat. Not if he wants to be fed Lobster and Steak on a platinum platter for the next two months.

"We should deal with him later." Tanya declared, putting the rest of her cards into the deck. "He may very well be a possible tool for us to exploit."

"Agreed." Boba returned his as well. Playing card for two days lost its charm. "Not to demean us, but if Lightraide is being this poorly hidden, someone somewhere must be waiting for a moron to come after him." Not a farfetched idea. Boba learned of Lightraide's whereabout about a week ago and has been monitoring his movements. It took him only a few hours. A toddler could have found him. If it's that easy for an ace hacktivist like him, any moron with a com can find him. Cornering him prior to or during his trial is an obvious move to make for anyone. "What about Thrax?"

"Nothing. He's gone into hiding somewhere!" She angrily shuffled the cards. She demands a rematch with him in the very near future. Tarkin stole that fight from her. While battling Annalise was enjoyable,Thrax would have been the one to make her night. The Osmos **(** _ **Singular**_ **)** used the arrival of Piel and Secura to escape the prison. He was wounded, but not as fatally as Tarkin. Yes, Tanya does chuckle when she thinks of Tarkin's stomach spilling all that blood. Serves him right. Efforts to evacuate him and the other hostages took priority. Everything else was second. "But Thrax is too thirsty for blood. He won't stay hidden for long. If he even is hiding."

"I'm sure we'll run into him again." Boba took the card and hid them away. "For now we should scout this sector for at least one more job to fill our quota and then head home." He moved to the hollow projector, displaying a widespread image of the systems intertwined within the sector. "Tion Hegemony is practically an uncapped faucet of high value work. Might make enough to pay off that loan Hondo took out in my name." He rumbled.

"Remind me that I need to speak with our beloved Godfather about that." Tanya rose, heading for the bathroom. It's best to not ask about the loan. Tanya's struggling between killing Hondo, or just maiming him.

"By the way...Tanya!" She stopped at the door. Boba's mouth went dry. He fumbled with the question that was straining his tongue to ask. Tanya faced him fully, encouraging him to speak his mind. "Um...are you...that is...is our _other_ family member…" He cringed as he allowed his final words to fade on his breath. He touched fingers to the back of his skull, sheepish on how to word it.

Tanya sighed tenderly, leaning a shoulder to the bathroom doorway. Her small smile told Boba she knew who - or rather, what - he was asking about. "Try not to worry buddy." She tapped that part of her skull, winking playfully. "She hasn't uttered a word since Incarces. Wouldn't be surprised if she's gone."

Somehow Boba seriously doubted that. It took Tanya years to even remotely scratched the surface of her blackout issues, and even then the emotional repercussions were devastating to her. Granted, the nightmares and temperamental flare up were gone entirely. But the damage its done will always linger. Boba senses a difference in Tanya. Both good and bad. She's slightly more stable, able to sleep, and isn't suffering from emotional meltdowns. However, lately, when she fights...there's a blood lust within her. Not that she hasn't fought to kill before - no. This is completely different. She...she's taking too great a thrill during fights. Boba has sparred with her dozens of times, and half of those she...changes. Desires nothing more than to watch blood spill from Boba's throat. The throat of her own brother. Which has never happened. Tanya doesn't crave the death of loved ones. Now, she expects Boba to believe her inner killer isn't still urking somewhere in the back of her head?

"Glad to hear it." Boba conceded the issue, backing away for the kitchen. Tanya nodded, grateful he held faith. When she went inside the bathroom, whatever smile Boba put on for her faded. "Glad to hear you still think you can lie to me." He mumbled angrily. Tanya has the force, Boba has pure raw instinct. Tanya hasn't been able to lie to him since he was two. Why, after practically three years would that change now?

 **xxx**

Tanya splashed hot water to her face, thoroughly washing her tired eyes. She gasped for sweet oxygen, growling animally at the fact that it's _recycled_ oxygen. Two days, nonstop, in space in a metallic deathtrap within Separatist airspace that can be blown to cinders should a passing Separatist soldier be in a sour mood. Or worse, Count Dooku with tug on that inane red string that seems to bind them together and come meet her for one of their chats. Oddly, that isn't what's sending that prickling down her spine. The perpetual silence, never ending sea of stars, and that smell - she prefers her old jail cell to this Hell. She's going to lose her mind. She thought she'd be used to it by now after her time with the Jedi. Windu never missed a chance to drag her along on long winded, delegate operated, babysitter missions. Seemed to enjoy watching her squirm, itching for action, wanting to draw her saber. He was just as sadistic as she was. Maybe even more so.

" _The discipline of a four year old._ " Tanya's spine stiffened like stone. Her eyes widened at a smirking Korun's reflection in her mirror. " _You never change, My Padawan._ " He chuckled.

Tanya spun around in a panic, bracing herself to the sink as she drew her knife from her boot. Her pupils narrowed to slits, flickering from grey to purple sporadically. She was then baffled that the blade was directed at the air. Nothing - no one - was there. Just her, the mirror, and whatever delusion's her space odyssey has brought on. Her adrenaline was pumping so fiercely her fingers nearly lost the knife. _What the Hell was that?_ Her rampant mind shrieked. Her purple eyes rippling in disbelief. A moderate fear. As she should be. She just saw Mace Windu standing behind her. And then he was gone like the wind.

"Oh man…" Her released breath made her sink to the floor. She shoved the knife back into her boot, then placed that hand over her eyes. Invasive images shrouded in black, sounds muffled to nothing - the very bathroom itself had vanished from around her. She quieted her mind of all unnecessary thoughts, feelings - her senses stretched and shortened in pulses, striving to bring her back to the plain in which she stood, and from the edge she was close to falling off.

"Sorry, Boba. Guess I'm not as fine as I thought." Pulling herself up by the sink, she scoffed at how pitiful she's become.

"Why do you insist on lying to him?"

A familiar voice teased. Tanya's brow narrowed. This voice didn't surprise her in the slightest. As a matter of fact, she was expecting this little visit and was disappointed her _friend_ took so long to respond. Tanya glanced, not to the mirror, but to the right of the bathroom door. There, wearing a depraved smirk, arms folded in her leisurely stance, was a full body incarnation of Tanya. The one contrast being the grey eyes of the other. The demonic orbs Tanya has the displeasure of looking into every morning, noon, and night. The eyes of the assassin that sleeps deep within her, and dares to wear her form. She does live for theatricals. Nothing ever done without a bit of grandeur to shake up Tanya and those around her.

"More importantly," The phantom mockingly wagged finger, half strutting toward her nonchalant host, "Why offer me full control when you're the one walking and talking 24/7?" Tanya folded her arms in a minor barrier, also to hide the fists she wanted to punch the figment with.

Right as the Knight's plans to assassinate Valorum were falling to pieces, Tanya went for a breath of fresh air. The guinea pig program Valorum setup. The Knight coming out of their hole. Those...DAMN Clones and the Jedi. Her head was border lining an explosion that should have went off years ago. Instead it remained docile and dormant, waiting for the right moment so send Tanya's already shattered mind into an oblivion from which it can never rise. Digressing back to the point - Tanya allowed the assassin full run of her body. This full run lasted a month at best, possibly two. During those two months, Assassin became erratic, unmanageable - someone so much as looked at her in a way she didn't like and they'd vanish without a trace. She went on spontaneous killing sprees, seeking to sate her unquenchable thirst for blood. That thirst turned onto Boba. Almost. Thankfully, Tanya forced her will unto the phantom, shoving her back to where she came from. Like a leech she hung on, drawing on Tanya's own life to strength hers. Boba walked away with a minor scar, but the fear imbedded itself. She can sense Boba is trying to differentiate between her and her split mind. But she also senses...his unease when he meets her eyes. Not knowing if he will see amythest or grey.

"Well?" Assassin crooned, placing both hands to the sink, trapping Tanya in place. "Why hinder me?"

"Because Boba despises the very fact that you even inhabit my mind." Tanya was able to shove past her. Assassin threw her hands up in mock surrender, skipping out of her way. Looking at her made Tanya sick. Though, punching her might not be a feasible option. "I won't have him be in your company."

"Technically, he is."

"Technically, you don't even exist!" Tanya stormed for the door. Figment or not, she needs to get away from her.

"And yet here I am carrying on a full blown conversation with you." She added a mockful bow, flamboyantly displaying herself like a marvel of reality and delusion colliding into one, semi-translucent figure. "Try telling me I'm not real with a straight face again." She dared.

Tanya slammed the side of her tight fist to the wall. Why is it whenever she wants to end a conversation someone has to say something that totally pisses her off? Obviously it was bait. Tanya's above all that mockery, taunts, and goading. Usually. She stormed to the phantom, planting a hand to the wall by her head. She looked the monster dead in the eye, wanting to those grey irises to hang on every dilation and glow that radiates.

"You-are not-REAL!" She spat venom on each word. Assassin remained impassive. "You're nothing but a figment - a phantom - my mind created in order to protect itself!" The menacing smirk widened. "When my emotions got in the way - those idiotic laurels and morals prevented me from doing what I had to…" Tanya moved in close. Her breath tingling Assassin's nose, "You rose from ashes that weren't yours to begin with. Everything that you are is because I allowed it!"

Assassin's smirk morphed into a full, toothy grin. Low tone chuckles sent chills down Tanya's spine. "Oh, really? Is that a fact? I wonder." Assassin inched forward, making Tanya back away. "If Skywalker was aware of me when he killed those who killed his mother," _His Mother_? Tanya's heart skipped a beat, "Or when Obi-Wan killed Darth Maul - the monster that killed his Master," _Darth...Maul?_ Who are these people? How does she know about them? "Would I have been called a phantom by them as well?" She teased.

"What are you talking about?" The wall met her back. The cold steel was numb to her as she was lost in the phantom's grandeur. "Darth Maul? Skywalker's Mom? Who are these people? How do you know them?" She pleaded for answers. She needed answers. How does a being of her mind know about people...they've never met?

Assassin laughed lightly, kissing Tanya's forehead. "So sorry, Tanya." She slowly backed away, becoming transparent each second, putting a secretive finger to her lips. "I can't divulge family secrets." And with that, the Assassin vanished into thin air, returning to the husk she craved to own.

Tanya lost all strength in her knees, falling breathlessly to the cold floor. _What the Hell do I have inside of me?_

 **To be continued**


	6. Doing that Which we Despise

**Doing that Which we Despise**

 _ **We will do what we must in place of what we want**_

 **Yes, yes! I deleted and reposted this chapter because I really hated how I ended it! From "No promises," during the meeting with the Bonteri's is where the new addition was made. Also, I changed the name of the Planet Icys to Glaciis. I watched the news and realized my choice in name, no matter the spelling, wasn't appropriate.**

 **Moving on**

 **xxx**

The council meeting dragged on for at least three hours. An eternity given how direly the urge to escape tedious talks of war, economy, politics and strengthening battlements in countless regions was pumping at Mace Windu's legs. After Master Yoda called the meeting adjourned, Windu waited for his fellow council members to vacate the room first so he would not draw attention. Although, his mind constantly wandering to a plain other than where he was supposed to be definitely caught a few eyes every now and then. Windu would will himself to refocus and try to comprehend where they were in their discussions. He got lost so many times an interstellar map wouldn't lead him back on track.

Every nerve in Windu's body was buzzing like a rowdy hive. His irritation with his fellow council members was unfounded, yet he felt he would erupt in a rage should one of them address him further. The source of this rampant anger did not stem from his fellow Jedi. Quite the contrary - should the situation change and Windu's mood cools to a temperate swell, they would be able to lift his spirits. Until that happens, he needed a moment to himself. A breath of fresh air to massage the unyielding tension knotting every muscle from head to toe. Time to bring all of his thoughts together in one single file line in which he can organize them.

 _The Tranquility Spire._

Several times Windu has found Tanya hiding away on the center spire's elongated ledge. She'd tempt fate by sitting on the narrowing ledge, and brave the blustery winds that threatened to whisk her away. Often, Windu would plead her to find another place to wash away her troubles, somewhere closer to the ground and more practical. Ironic, given Tanya was as impractical as the term implies. Now he sees he was mistaken to ask her to do so.

"Remarkable…" Windu breathed in absolute awe. Coming to retrieve Tanya, he realized he's never taken the chance to admire what she's always immersed herself within. His brain spun with bliss as he tried to take it all in at once, and let the force carry his non corporeal being to the vast reaches.

Windu must have sat in the temple council rooms thousands of times since he was bestowed the honor of councilman. He's stared out those windows, watched the mundane world and those within it pass on by, meander aimlessly on their path to who knows where. None of it captivated him, inspired him, or impressed him. Not like the god like view he is witnessing today. The feel of the wind wafting around him, whistling harmonious;y on the neighboring towers of the temple. The temple itself was so high above everything else, Windu felt he could soar to the clouds, and touch the very skies he lives under. The crisp blue, cloudy skies encompassing all of Coruscant like a dome, disappearing on the edge of the circling horizons seemed to stretch on and on. The purest blue he's seen in decades. Scrolling his eyes from the edges, he lost his breath at the city. He's walked those streets dozens of times. The filth, the decay, and the mirth and merriment that intermingled on a daily basis revealed itself to him constantly. From the top of the spire, all that he experienced seemed insignificant. The majesty he was gazing upon...if he didn't know better, he'd believe this beauty transcended to within.

"This is why you came up here." Windu smiled to himself. Closing his eyes, he imagined Tanya sitting on that very ledge, drifting off to a place that granted her the ultimate serenity. This whole time he thought she came up here to hide. He couldn't have been more wrong. "You never were one to hide. You merely wanted quiet your spirit." That assumption proves how little he understood her.

"Distractions appear to be your closest ally this day, Master Windu." Master Tiin's arrival startled Windu. The Iktotchi Master chuckled adoringly at the Korun. Commenting on the similarities between him and his former padawan would be too easy, and too funny. Not all that appropriate either. "Perhaps your wandering mind is a beacon of concern for a certain lost padawan of yours."

Windu furrowed his brow with a disconcerted grunt. He turned his back to the fellow master, glaring to the scenery. "She's not my Padawan. Not anymore." Sorrow lowered his head to the plummet inches from his feet. He folded his hands behind his back, hoping it would prevent him from slumping further. "Finis Valorum offered her a choice - stay or leave. The moment she left, I was no longer her Master nor her my student." His hands squeezed together. His shoulders stiffened. "When I think about it...maybe we never were."

Tiin's brow arched. Windu has not been behaving like himself. Utilizing the force to try and weed out the disturbance was most difficult. A leaner, Padawan, or just a normal person would be easy. A skilled master is a whole other playing field. Especially when that master is the king of blocking his mind and concealing his emotions.

"Please explain." Tiin closed the gap, standing a foot behind Windu.

"Under a guise - a fairytale we fabricated to appeal to the avaricious and opportunistic nature she possesses - we twisted Tanya's arm and forced her to be my student." A circumstance she despised with every fiber of her being. A natural response considering her murdered her father right in front of her eyes. "People - Jedi, Senator, Droid, you name it - looked at us and immediately determined that we would never work. We weren't cohesive due to the worlds in which we were raised." A respected and prodigal Jedi teaching a wild and unruly Bounty Hunter would never work. "I deluded myself into believing we'd proved them wrong. That, as the months went by and her shields lowered, we were beating the odds stacked against us. That I had helped to free her from the hysteria warping her." Her blackouts, the spontaneous violent tendencies, her nightmares - Windu helped her combat them all. Helped her to push them back to the recesses of her fractured mind.

"You did _beat the odds_." Windu tensed as Tiin placed a hand to his shoulder. "Tanya Fett was an out of control heathen when she first arrived. She trusted, respected, and fought only for herself." Her method of fighting twisted the stomachs of her fellow Jedi, the clones, and those she was charged to guard. She was relentless, lacked filters, and held no one in esteem higher than dirt. "Through your tutelage that changed dramatically. As have you." He added with a warm smile. Windu gaped at his comment, baffled by his meaning. "A fire within you that I have not seen in decades reignited tenfold."

Windu chuckled at his observation. In a way, he was right. Peering to the sky, he let happier times wash over him. "When I watched her fight, I saw the fearlessness and determination in her eyes." Seeing Tanya battling with all her heart, the fun she seemed to have, and how she never backed down from a challenge. Ventress, Grievous, Dooku, Tiin - she came at them with all her might. "I couldn't help but be in awe of her. As much as she enjoyed fighting, the loyalty and devotion she displayed overpowered her lust for battle." How many times has she put her life on the line for others? Jar-Jar being poisoned, and then captured with Padme on Aetha. Senator Farr and the Rodians on Rodia. Duchess Satine, Senators Ariim and Dayle on Mandalore. Death's sickle loomed at her neck each time she charged, and it never inhibited her. "Here is a girl, not even 18, looking death straight in the eye and never faltering. Always willing to put her life on the line be it for herself or for those...she cared for."

"That was an extensive list in spite of the persona she displayed." Tiin smirked.

"And it grew longer as the days went by. I thought it would never stop." He's been wrong before. "That is until Grievous handed her that file and made me remember that I was betraying her to 25 people who undoubtedly had an agenda." Windu never vetted or met with those apart of the committee surveying Tanya's progress. These people would give the yay or nay as to whether or not Tanya would be free. "I saw firsthand how she handled learning of the program! Heaven forbid Tanya learn they voted to send her back!" The program permitted the (unwilling) participant to roam free for nine months. The first day of the tenth month, and vote would be cast to either free her from prison or send her back. Those 25 chose the former, even after Chancellor Palpatine vowed to acquit her of all crimes. He can see her splitting the planet apart and engulfing it in fire. Not necessarily in that order. "I reset the clock back three years. Back to when I met the girl so warped by rage and hatred, I thought I was staring into the eyes of a demon. I was stricken with fear. I had never seen anyone with such a look." Tiin has. And usually they become acolytes of the sith. "I stared into those eyes again. After three years, I saw that demon again. In place of fear…" There are feelings far worse than fear. Fear inevitably vanishes after a time. This...this would linger for all time. "I failed her. I failed her...Jango Fett...her parents…"

"Mace…" Tiin let his words trail off, knowing there is nothing he can say to change what is.

Windu hid the shame huing his brow from Tiin and the onlooking world below him. Unbeknownst to him, a feline spectre was floating off to his right, staring on in sorrow of the pitiful master. ' _No. I failed you...Master.'_

 **xxx**

"Huh?" Tanya's widening eyes shot up from the sink into the mirror. _There it is again_. That feeling that someone's talking about her. And they were sad. This time a sense of... _failure_ came with it. And it saddened her. _Mace? Are you-_

" _TANYA! GET OUT HERE! WE'VE GOT A JOB!_ " Boba animatedly hammered the door, frightening Tanya back to reality. " _Hurry up, Tanya! You've got to see who just accepted our help!_ "

Must be a Hell of an employer if Boba's running around like maniac. The last time Tanya's heard him this excited about a job was when he was five and there was trouble in Chocolate City of Uunah. His excitement made her lose her train of thought, and the line connecting her to those strange sensations carrying her off. "Oh well. Guess it was nothing." Tanya shrugged the feelings off. Although, it is bothering her that this is the second time in a few short hours she's sensed Windu. _Hmph! Maybe he's scared I'm making a round trip to come visit._ Perhaps she should.

Strolling into lounge area, Tanya wore a serious expression to hide how flustered she'd become. Between talking with phantoms and sensing someone from the opposite side of the universe, she was probably looking worse for wear. In order to keep Boba from worrying, she performed her favorite ritual to psych herself up. Two claps to the cheeks to wake herself up, and a fist to the guy to silence those butterflies. She needs to be on her A-game at all times. Not only in anticipation of an attack, but because Boba knows how to chose S-Rank jobs with his eyes closed.

"I'm in the bathroom ten minutes and you've already found a job for us to play circus with." She feigned scolding him, coming around to her own stool.

"Hey, you agreed to finding one more job." Boba retorted impishly.

"Yeah! Because I thought you wouldn't find one!" She should know better. One way or another, Boba always meets the quota. "And let me guess: you've already accepted the job, regardless of how menial the requirements or description." Bingo. Boba's sleazy smile proves her suspicions. Tanya groaned defeatedly, pinching the bridge of her nose. He has a bad habit of accepting jobs on a whim, dropping the ball on Tanya seconds before they depart. Or, if he's feeling really cheeky, he'll dupe her into a job he knows she'll hate and won't tell her what it is until after they've arrived. He's going to put her into an early grave. "Debrief me on this job _we've_ accepted."

Boba - 1, Tanya - 0. Or is the score 100 - 0? Either way, Boba was winning, and Big Sis was in a slump. Boba activated the holoprojector, materializing a planet located in their current sector. "The employer is a Senator on Raxus-"

"OF-COURSE it would have to be the capital planet!" She blew up, falling to her back with a THUD! Just her damn luck. Hundreds of planets within that sector and it HAS to be Coruscant's twin politician housing planet. And to make matters worse, he's already accepted it. Boba huffed at her dramatics. She motioned a hand for him to proceed.

Boba rolled his eyes, returning to the mission briefing. "The Senator who has accepted our offer is from Onderon." Tanya shrugged indifferently. Onderon is currently under Separatist rule, but it is a planet of redeeming qualities. The kindest of people seem to be bred from there. "Her name is…Bonteri?"

Tanya's ears bounced at the familiar ring. _I know that name._ Her mind mulled it over. _Bonteri...Bonteri...Satine…_ "Mina Bonteri?"

"Yeah. You know her?" Boba tilted his head curiously.

"We've met before on Mandalore. Nothing intimate, but...she didn't see me at my best behavior." She cringed. She was about to kill someone - at traitor - right in front of Satine. Tanya climbed back onto her seat, bringing up an image of Senator Bonteri alongside Raxus. An elegant woman - beautiful beyond words - whose presence commands authority while tenderly incurring respect of others. Tanya will never forget her first meeting with this woman. She's charming and charismatic beyond words. When she speaks to you, you can't help but listen to her. Her eyes see within you, not around you. The aura that projects off a person is hers to see, and make an evaluation on her feelings towards a person. There's just one drawback. "She's also an old friend of Padme Amidala's."

Thunder and lightning clashed in Boba's head. _That Senator we tried to kill all those years ago?_ Boba will never forget that mission. It was the first mission on Coruscant Jango took him and Tanya on. The first time he truly relied on them. Obviously they failed, but the experience was amazing. "A Republic and Separatist senator that are friends?" The next thing Boba knew he would be seeing ice on Mustafar, and Orto Plutonia would become a barren wasteland.

"An old friendship stemming from before the Old Republic became separated." Coincidentally, Tanya has a list - an extensive list that continues to grow by two each week - of which Senators from the opposing sides are still in contact. "Anyway, the woman knows my face. She knows me as Mace Windu's Padawan. The second she realizes it's me she'll spread the word, and either the Count or Padme are going to know where I am." And all Hell might break loose afterward.

"Is that really such a bad thing?" Boba dismissed with a bounce of his shoulders. Veins in Tanya's skull clenched. "I mean, you're a free girl. You're not loyal to the Republic anymore, or the Jedi, therefore she'll have no reason to report you." Unbridled rage balled Tanya's fingers into tight fists. Her blood was boiling. Jedi, Republic - hot button words, but the circumstances... "If anything, having someone you know as a repeat customer would workout for us."

Tanya shot to her feet. "YOU IDIOT! DON'T YOU THINK ANYTHING THROUGH?!" Boba was roared onto the floor, fear riddled his face. He may be skilled when it comes to combat and warfare, but his advice and counselling leaves much to be desired.

Boba's selectively out of the loop when it comes to _priority_ current events. Automatically, he'll assume because he knows something that the entire universe and its mom know about it as well. For example: _Planet Toydaria is Neutral_ \- everyone knows that. _Prime Minister of Toydaria has a wart shaped like the Lucas Logo_ \- only Boba knows and inadvertently spread wild rumors. The number of problems he's caused in the past have Jango reeling in his grave.

Tanya smashed a hand to her fuming face, marching in jittered paces. "I'm not the universe's top story! Not EVERYONE knows I'm free of the Republic!" With the way spies for the Jedi have been scouting for her, she's not sure even they're aware of it. _What part of me leaving without word did they misunderstand?_ "All she would need to do is say ' _Jedi_ ' and all of Raxus will narrow its scopes for our heads. Yours included!" And, last time she checked, she and Boba were just reunited, and she's not quite ready to give him up. "That is if the Count won't try to vie for my loyalty, and try to buy you." Force forbid.

"Yeah, but the Count likes you." Add that to her list of hot buttons. "He'd surely grant you amnesty, and since we're a package deal-"

Tanya hoisted him to his feet by his collar. "I DON'T WANT AMNESTY FROM HIM!" She bared her fangs. Boba saw his own frightful reflection in her purple irises. She roughly set him to his stool, storming over back to her own. "And I sure as Hell don't want you anywhere near him! It was bad enough Dad worked for him!"

"But, Tanya-"

"Listen to me, Boba! We're not taking on this job!" She declared right then and there, no arguments, it was done. "The Count will only see us as tools and use us until we break! Against the Jedi or against those who work in the shadows. Likely both." Boba's not so naive that he doesn't see that as a possible outcome. "If we fail him even once there will a price higher than anything we've paid!" Ventress and Grievous will testify to that. As would anyone else who has miraculously survived the deprave Sith Lord. Tanya took control of the projector, finding the job Boba accepted and made preparations for it to be canceled. Boba sat there in defeat, huffing at a huge job that's just gone down the toilet. "I admire the woman, but I won't be...huh?" She touched her chin.

Boba lit up. "What's up?" He leaned in.

"How far in did you read the details of this job?"

"Just to where Bonteri wanted to meet in person. Why?"

"Maybe this job won't kill us too much." She turned the projection Boba's way, scrolling to a part of the report neglected. "Bonteri's husband, Officer Markus Bonteri, has gone missing on the planet Glaciis. He's been gone three weeks."

"Glaciis?! Why the Hell would he be there?! The people there are more cutthroat than the Trandoshans!" Boba lost his breath. "And he's been lost there a week? Might as well pay us in advance and extra for when we recover his corpse."

As eloquent as ever. "Would you have said the same thing if we asked someone to bring Dad back from Geonosis?" Boba's words choked him in a noose. Tanya took his silence as an apology. "A senator going to a planet of barbarians. Sounds like what Senator ChuChi did to win Orto Plutonia."

"You mean it was a political play?" Boba's not ignorant to the plays and rules of politics, but their methods and madness often confuse him. "Doesn't anyone on Raxus know the risk in sending him there?"

"As an officer in the Confederate military and the husband of a Senator, someone must have thought he and his unit would have been fine." A man of tactics and of negotiations.

"Poor planning. The people of Glaciis are as unforgiving as the Hutts and as ruthless as the Trandoshans. They've made it clear how much they hate both the Republic and the Separatists." Their hatred for both factions rings further than space can span. There several planets like this. They aren't neutral, they're just...radicals looking to spill blood of anyone associated with the war. "They may very well kill Bonteri's husband to send a message...and then another war on top of the other one will break out."

"Precisely." Tanya weighed the consequences. "But politics isn't the reason I'm changing my mind. It's because I would have given up anything to see my mother and father before they were submerged within Aquatis's underwater volcanoes." She narrowed her sights to Boba. "Just as you would have given anything to have Dad returned be he dead or alive."

"That's true." Boba sighed dismally. He plotted the coordinates to Raxus from their current location. Thankfully, Raxus wasn't too far away, and their ship is complete with a cloak to fool the planet's scanners. If all goes smoothly, they'll fly in, meet with the Lady Senator, and be out to save her husband within the hour. "Three hours until we arrive. Want to play another card game."

"Fine, but we play poker this time."

"You cheat at poker!"

"No. You just have a terrible poker face." She winked.

 **xxx**

Planet Raxus - as breathtaking as it is vast in its rural charm. Rural is not the proper world. Agriculturally inclined, abundant with nature, and just positively gorgeous to behold. Words will never do it justice. Major cities are spanned across the planet's entirety, but they do not overwhelm the greenery and forestry surrounding it. Springtime made the planet flourish in its full splendor. The clouds cascading across the ever blue skies. The complete opposite of Coruscant. A planet constructed majorly of iron towers and industrial grounds rife with grim, and air polluted by toxic waste being pumped constantly. At least, in comparison to Raxus, Coruscant is a dank and dismal place.

Nestled in the mountainous regions of Raxus was an estate that resembled a small castle. Hand carved marble, a wonder of architecture, nesting on the top of a rocky hill, basking in a valley of flourishing trees. Mina Bonteri, with a cup of hot tea in her hand, admired those trees from the window of her foyer. Watching the blades of grass dance in the mild breeze, hearing the tree leaves rustle - nature's very own symphony, which brought her to the pinnacle of relaxation. Her honey mint tea hit the right spots, releasing pent up tension drilling into her shoulders. Times of war, the harsh politics, and her current crisis ushered an anxiety that threatened to send her into a coma. Preferable to seeing another day with her husband beside her, or not knowing where he is or what's become of him. Hopefully when the Bounty Hunters she's hired arrive they will be able to shed some light on the shadows hindering her.

Footsteps entering the foyer redirected her attention, greeting a young man with a mild smile. "Hello, Lux. Fencing practice over already?" She crooned.

Lux Bonteri, her first and only son. He wore his Noble Birth like a feathered cap and silken cape. He was quite handsome with his long black hair tied into a ponytail. The young girls in his fencing classes certain swooned over him. His loose white shirt with the folded cuffs was stained by dried sweat. Not too noticeable, but not flattering. His leather boots hugging to his grey pants were mildly scuffed, but easy to buff and shine. The end of his fencing lessons have left him fired up. Mina could see the fire in his eyes. In his pursuit to join the military when he reaches adulthood he has trained in different methods of combat. The perfect distraction so he doesn't focus on his missing father or become engrossed in the nasty world of politics.

The frown on Lux's face erased Mina's smile. "What is the matter, Lux?" She approached him in a steady stride, placing a hand to her son's shoulder. He bit his lower lip, casting his glare to the floor. "Talk to me. What troubles you?"

"No!" He huffed angrily.

"No what, My Love?" She leaned in to stop him from hiding from her.

Lux shot his head up, startling his mother with his heated scowl. "I won't have you sending cutthroats to rescue my father!"

Mina's eyes widened in shock, her mouth falling gape as her hands slipped from his shoulders. She intended to feign ignorance of his meaning, play off his accusation as a misunderstanding. Lux's dagger like glare spoke loud volumes that he won't be fooled. His entire body was shaking as he fought the urge to scream at his mother for her subterfuge. That he's well aware of what Mina attempted to keep from him.

"Ah. So you know." She gave in with a note of regret. She snorted derisively at herself. She should have known better. As much as Lux may take after her in unwavering spirit, he possesses his father's keen sense of deduction. Fooling him is a trial in itself. "Yes. I have asked for the aide of Bounty Hunters.

"Mother! You are the Senator of Onderon and a well respected figure of our Senate here on Raxus!" The bark he struggled to contain erupted like thunder. She allowed it. Hiring criminals to save a highly decorated officer - his father - is an irremovable stain on their family name, and their station. "Summon Lord Dooku and ask him to send one of his generals! Surely either General Grievous or General Ventress's unit can recover him."

"Do you not think I have tried?" She replied curtly but calmly, setting her tea aside. "For the past three days I have begged him for aid. And everyday I am met with the same answer. And everyday...I think of what your father is enduring." She turned away, heading for the window so Lux would not see the failure she was feeling. To hide the shameful tears building in the corners of her eyes. Lux's outrage cooled to a hiss as his mother's sorrow tore at his heart. He began to feel selfish and insensitive. As much as he is worried for his father, Mina was crippling as she is helpless to save her husband - her lifetime partner and lover. "Unfortunately, Lux, Lord Dooku, myself, and the rest of the senate cannot risk another incident with the people of Glaciis. Least of all when they threatened war against us."

"But, Mother…" Lux felt the corner his mother was trapped in. Sitting around and waiting for news, or for a miracle to happen is begging for the worst to befall his father. But still, "Bounty Hunters? The black mark that will leave."

"We are all stained by black marks, Lux. But stain or no," "I would give up my title, my reputation, everything I have for the ones that I love." "Foolish, I know. But sometimes going outside the boundaries is necessary. Especially when the ones we love are in dire need, and those around you refuse to take action."

Lux sighed defeatedly, pinching the bridge of his nose. It's clear Mina was set on hiring these ne'er do wells. There's no stopping her. That doesn't mean he has to like her decision. "Did you at least do a background check on the hunter or hunters you hired?" He moaned.

"We're not exactly listed." A male voice uttered. With split second reflexes, Lux drew a pistol hiding inside a desk drawer and aimed at the two figures standing at the front doors. One was dressed in full Mandalorian armor. A young man by the build. Lux moved in front of his mother, putting himself between the masked rogues that dared to enter their home unannounced. Staring into the jet black screen of the Mandalorian's helmet, unable to make out if he was sneering or grinning - Lux put all of his senses on full alert. Mistrusting of the obscure boy. His finger curled to the trigger, itching to pull it the second one of them so much as twitched. His presence...there was something about it. He doesn't seem imposing. And yet, the way he held himself - Lux would need to be on his toes.

"Sorry to intrude, My Lady. But we felt it best to grant you a preview of our skill." Boba bowed his head respectfully to the Senator and her son. Mina's breath hitched often in her throat. The display of formality allowed her to relax, but not lower her guard. Boba hadn't bothered disguising his voice for this meeting. Seeing as how he and Mina have never met until now, there are no dangers residing. At least on his side.

Lux hadn't lowered his gun, but he might as well have the way it was shaking in his grasp. Too much adrenaline for him to maintain pumped through his buzzing veins, weakening his grip and bobbing his arms like corks in an ocean. That is because the other figure, the one who has yet to speak, brought ice to his spine. A young woman fully dressed in black. Armor or simple cloth aligned with steel. Only the space between her mask and hood permitted them to meet her piercing purple eyes. Though 90% of her face was hidden, the chuckle that escaped her throat proved she was smirking.

"Put that toy away, kiddo, before you hurt yourself." Tanya brazenly strutted closer, hands lazily crossed over her abdomen. _I just might hurt you myself for giggles._ Boba, as if hearing her thoughts, hooked fingers to her lapping cape skirt, pulling her back to his side.

"How did you get past our guards?! Who are you?!" Lux snarled venomously. He crossed his feet, encroaching in a shaky stride. Perhaps time under Mace has served Tanya better than she thought. Before, she might have doubled over on the floor laughing at Lux. The boy was like a small animal trembling at a breath of a breeze.

"If we can't make it past simple house sitters we have no business calling ourselves Bounty Hunters." Tanya chortled. Her voice was quivering from trying not to laugh. She pat Boba's hand, assuring him that she won't cause trouble. "As for who we are - well," She spread her hands apart as she approached him, mockingly shrugging and smacking her lips, "We just might be the only sentimental pair willing to save your father for you." Lux bared his teeth at her, growling like an animal.

Mina stayed her son's itchy trigger finger with a hand to his shoulder. She nodded her head firmly to him, silently granting their _guests_ an audience with her. Lux reluctantly lowered his gun, but he hadn't removed his finger from that trigger. "So, you are the ones who answered." Mina approached them with her son on her heels. She bowed her head in thanks to them. "It feels premature to thank you-"

"Then don't." Boba stopped her. Mina and Lux were taken aback by his blunt tone. Boba isn't one for thanks, praise, or grandstanding hurrahs. He's here for a job, and he would like to get started on that job. "We'd like more information on the job, your husband, the reports of his mission and when he vanished and how, and Glaciis itself." The entire room spun around Mina and Lux. The whirlwind of demands threw them off balance, stealing their breath. "Once we have that we will be able to begin working."

Mina wasn't able to stifle a laugh at his bold commands. She admired it. A man who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. An unwavering man. "Thorough or cautious?" She arched a brow suggestively.

"Both, actually. She's thorough, I'm cautious." Tanya wiggled her fingers in an impish greeting.

"And I'm suspicious." Lux huffed.

"Pleasure. By the by," Tanya approached. Lux brought the gun back up, only for Tanya's fingers to snap to the barrel. Lux's body seized up. He was drowned in her purple irises. The finger wrapped around the trigger was locked in place. It didn't tighten, it didn't loosen. It just sat there. "You'll find it hard to shoot without ammunition." She mockingly waved a cartridge at him. Lux was wrenched out of his stupor, flipping his gun over and finding the ammo gone...and in her hand. _When did she?_ Mina was equally shocked. Boba was smirking under the helmet. Tanya faced Boba, earning a nod from him, and she returned it. "Why don't you and I let the adults talk?" She forced him to set the gun aside. "I would like a tour of this lovely home of yours."

"Excuse me?! A tour?!" Lux choked on the very air. She presumes too much. One word and he can have the guards here, and both of them carried out and executed. Yet she assumes she is privy to a _tour_. "You're here to do our bidding, get paid, and leave! You're not dinner guests!"

"That's good because we ate before we arrived! I'd hate for your exquisite food to be wasted!" She wolfishly licked her lips.

"Be mindful of whom you speak to, Hunter! We can have an army here with a breath!"

"Funny thing." She wagged a finger, braving the last two steps and coming within an inch of Lux. It might just be the heels, but Lux was rather short for his age. By an inch, but it was enough. It was a twitch. Lux tensed his shoulders, curling into himself to pounce. Tanya wasn't worried. She is a lion matched up with a kitten. "It's not impossible for me to strangle that breath before it exhales." Her hand started to lift.

"Please! Both of you, enough!" Mina bellowed. Lux twisted to his mother, gaping in shock.

Tanya scoffed at her fun being shortened, lowering her hand all the same. She diverted her gaze to the panting Senator, watching her body shudder as she fought to not lose face. Standing like a pillar, she was. Immovable and willing to hold her ground until a force beyond her control drags the ground out from under her, or breaks her to shambles. And right then and there, Tanya's admiration for this woman skyrocketed. _Satine would love this woman._

"Please pardon my disrespectful behavior, Lady Bonteri." Tanya bowed with a sweep of the hand. "It shall not happen again. You have my word." The words that shackle Tanya in iron and forbid her from acting against them.

Through her frenzied nerves, Mina saw within Tanya's eyes that she was a woman of honor. In an odd way, she can trust her. "Thank you." She released her breath. "Lux, darling, these two are our guests and should be treated with decorum." Mina reprimanded her son with a docile tone. Lux snarled venomously.

"Agreed." Boba approached next, stepping before Tanya to help diminish the tension in the air. "And we should show our Noble Hosts the proper respect as well." Through the helmet, Tanya felt the daggers he was piercing her with and made her rigid.

"And I shall." Tanya nodded.

Lux would sooner eat his own shoe before granting that Bounty Hunter a single moment of his time. Let alone showing her the infrastructure of their home. But, as a Senator's Son, Lux will need to learn what it means to do what is for the greater good in place of what is to do for yourself. To do things you REALLY don't want to do. Without a single word - to spare his pride his surrender - he motioned his head at Tanya, curtly asking her to follow him. Tanya smugly bowed and walked after him.

"Behave." Boba warned in a whisper.

"No promises." She whispered back.

Lux escorted her to the gardens, as good a place as any to begin - and end - an unwilling tour. Mina did not fault him for his reluctance. Were she in his shoes, she would dislike showing strangers - possibly spies for their enemies - about their home. But she is desperate. And these are the only people to answer her call. Their rather gruff demeanor aside, she takes a particular delight in their candid aggression. There's noteable integrity radiating from them. A sense of honor so very few project. She can see it as clearly as she see's the sun on the sky.

"Lady Bonteri, I must apologize for my associate." Boba formally bowed to her. "Her lust for...we will just be kind and say she lacks social skills." He chose his words carefully. Saying someone likes to kill kind of ruins a relationship. Although, that's already been accomplished.

"She is a very frightening person, I must admit." Mina guided Boba towards the couches. He waited for her to sit before sitting to the couch opposite her. "Both of you frighten me, if I'm being frank." She chuckled, crossing her legs. Were it the helmet was removed, Mina would feel comfortable knowing what sort of eyes she was staring into. Honor and integrity are seldom virtues, shadowed by the true intentions gleaming in one's eyes. The frightening woman's eyes were clear. She's known blood. But this young man...there's...something about him. Something ominous. "First you enter my home without so much as crunching a twig, then there is your display of sleight of hand, not to mention your reluctance to reveal your faces to me!"

"The first two were theatrics to prove ourselves, as you well know." Boba smoothly countered. Reactions such as this are common to those ignorant of the ways of truly skilled hunters. "As for the last one, Lady Bonteri, there is a great deal of loss included in you see our faces."

"I already know you are a Mandalorian. Perhaps a member of that Death Watch Extremist group running amuck." Deathwatch! Boba gasped mentally. He thanked the helmet for hiding his shock. That's a name he hasn't heard in years. "Your companion...the feline tail assures me she is of Aquatis." Boba's entire body went rigid, fingers curling. Mina smirked at his reaction. "You are not the only ones with keen skills. Your reasons for hiding yourselves are your own," She leaned in. Her menacing smirk lodged a lump in Boba's throat, "But it is obvious you are running from someone."

"Are you here to insult us, or would you like to get down to business?!" Boba's impatience with this woman snarled. He inwardly cursed his lost poker face. Mina took the small victory where it lied. A bit of revenge for their abrupt entry. "Let's start with the basics. Tell me about your husband, and move on from there."

"Very well." She smirked. She's going to like this boy. She just hopes Lux comes around as well.

xxx

Tanya wandered aimlessly in awe of the backyard garden. Freshly cut grass wafting to her nose, fallen leaves of the winter and fall months scattered about. She lavished in the crunching leaves under her boots. Fresh cherry blossoms were in full bloom, their sweet scent carried on the gentle breeze. Glistening evergreen bushes scaling the towering walls, highlighted by ripening grapes the Bonteri's grew themselves. Tanya's mouth was watering in anticipation of what green grapes from the house of nobles taste like. Then again, by the wine collection in Mina's home, the grapes aren't meant for side dishes.

Speaking of sides, Lux may have been distancing himself from a place atop the stone steps, but that glare of his was hot enough to melt metal. A favorite spot of his was that podium at the first flight of stairs. From there he can see everything, and think with a wide - if not secluded - perspective. That perspective was narrowed to the all black clad hunter strolling about his home's yard.

"Keep glaring at me like that and you just might put holes in me." She crooned suggestively, cupping a rose bud tenderly. Lux snorted at her posturing. So what if she can take a gun cartridge, and has a knack for stating the obvious. He's not impressed by her, or her friend. Just run of the mill criminals looking to take advantage of a heartbroken mother for a quick buck. "No need to bite your lip. Your mother isn't here. You're bothered that she asked for our help." She slyly glanced his way.

"Is it that obvious?" He hissed, sarcasm oozing venomously.

"I have a knack for noticing this sort of thing." She winked. Lux scrunched his nose. "That, and you kind of announced it when you saw us walk in." She meandered up the steps.

"I find Bounty Hunters to be dubious. Duplicitous even. That means-"

"I know what it means. Not all Bounty Hunters are imbeciles." She stopped a few steps away, leaning to the wide wall.

"I especially find them suspicious when I don't know their face!" He jumped down, meeting her halfway. He towered over her, peeling away the layers she hid herself under. "How am I supposed to trust someone whose face I never see?"

"Good question. Fair enough. Let me respond with my own." She crossed her arms, ensuring she had Lux's undivided attention. "How many faces do you see each day that you FULLY and UNCONDITIONALLY trust?" Lux shot his mouth open, but no words emerged. He paused in astonishment, shifting his gaze to the ground as he mulled over his response. He curled his lips in, shoulders sinking. "There you go. Trust is an instinct - a phenomenon as unexplainable any other obtuse mentality. It's not something that comes and goes as you will it. It especially isn't determined by a person's face."

"Speaking from experience?" He huffed angrily.

"Trust is a luxury I can't afford. And if I could, it would dull my senses." She sat up on the sloping wall, lying back and basking in the sun.

"Does that mean you don't trust your companion?" Lux mockingly countered, standing over her.

"I trust him with my life, and he trusts me with his." She waved off nonchalantly. The mask obscured her dark smile. The boy is quick witted. He's going to go far if it doesn't get him killed. "A feat only possible because we put our lives on the line for one another every day."

"Wow. I didn't think Bounty Hunters were capable of trust, let alone philosophy." Lux wasn't going to relent his hostilities towards her. He wants it abundantly clear she isn't welcome.

"You're not the first to think so." She bent a knee, crossing her leg over it. She gazed to the sky, watching the birds fly by. "Ironically, I don't trust them as far as I can throw them either. But I can see you distrust us for a reason different from mine." She hopes it will forever be superficial. "I feel the same way about your battle droids."

"Relying upon droids is one thing! Relying upon bounty hunters," Lux shook his head, wagging a finger, "I find it to be a risk. You never know who it is you are hiring." He planted a hand near her side. He leaned in close, his shadow bringing a glow to her eyes. "Droids are programmable, and easily disposed of."

An obscure threat if she's ever heard one. He really must work on his delivery. Tanya was more inclined to bust a gut laughing than shivering. "Understandable. We are notorious for stabbing employers in the back." She propped up on her elbows, bringing her face so close that Lux could feel her breath on his lips, "Especially the ones who try to rob us."

Lux's neck tensed. His heart was pounding rampantly. The purple of her eyes - rippling intensely like magma. "My mother will not rob you!" His shivers shook his voice.

"And I have no doubt of that. Even if she did, I wouldn't touch her." She vowed, sliding off the wall.

"Why not?" Lux gasped.

"Because she - like another senator I greatly admire - is striving for peace; searching for common ground." And meeting the opposing forces who would see her killed with a passion so steadfast Count Dooku wouldn't shake her. Padme and Bonteri could be best friends. "I won't jeopardize that for a few credits."

Lux hung on her every word, but wasn't sold. It could be nothing. He saw a slight hesitation in her eyes. "There's another reason." He surmised. He's very sharp.

"Your mother is a good person, through and through. Strong, independent, and not afraid to stand up for what she thinks is right." She turned her head, able to see the Senator and Boba exchange words. "I admire and respect people like her and would go to great lengths to see them live to the end of this war."

"Are you sure you're a bounty hunter?" He chuckled. She sounds more like a soldier.

"Born and bred. Why?

"You aren't like other bounty hunters." He shrugged, lacking a better response.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I meant it as one." He bowed his head. Regret hued his face. He released a guilt ridden breath. "And…"

"Don't apologize for something you meant. It creates the air that you are a pushover." And while his sword skills and gun handling leave much to be desired, she'll be damned if the son of Mina Bonteri shows weakness like this. "You have your mother's spirit and I'm willing to wager you take after your father in bravery! Don't diminish what you can cultivate!"

"Cultivate spirit and bravery?" He wasn't sure how that is possible.

"When the time comes, you'll understand what I mean." She pat him on the back. "In the meantime, we need to work on your footwork."

"What's wrong with my footwork?"

She gripped his shoulder, swept her foot under his. Lux cried as the world tilted on its axis. His back hit the stone with a painful thud! He groaned in pain. Everything was spinning. Tanya knelt over him, brow raised with an impish grin. "It's working too well." She whispered.

xxx

"My Husband is Field Marshal Markus Bonteri of the 321st battalion of the Confederate Military. A remarkable man admired by many within our senate, and a fellow citizen of Onderon." Admired by many in the senate, and unequivocally revered and loved by his wife, and son. Mina would lick her dry lips, taking a breath before speaking again. Her eyes were glossing with stinging tears. "He is the commanding officer of our leading forces in the battle for peace."

"An oxymoron." Boba couldn't help scoffing.

"Yes, it is contradictory. But it is a goal which we strive for." She poetically elucidated. "Thus far, every mission my husband has ventured on has yielded positive results. Allies across the galaxy, and peace within our nation. Though, the farther we go, the more tumultuous our endeavors become."

"Senator, with all due respect," Boba motioned a hand. He can only stand so much grandstanding, "I'm not one of the political drones wooed by your passion for civility and peace. I'm here, along with my companion, because you said your husband has yet to return from his mission to Glaciis!"

"Of course. I apologize." A polite way of him demanding her to not waste his time. "About three weeks ago, my husband was asked to see to an alliance with the people of Glaciis. Senator Kerch Kushi was the envoy." Kerch Kushi - long standing advocate for peace negotiations with The Galactic Republic. Apparently, his road to peace with the improbable started with the IMPOSSIBLE people of Glaciis. "Needless to say, our diplomatic mission turned sour. The Cyclians attacked my husband's troops the night they were due to depart! Senator Kushi returned safely, thank goodness. But my husband…" Mina itched at the top of her palm, nibbling on the inside of her cheek. She is pleased her friend returned. Those who survived the attack ensured his return. But to say she is not infuriated that her husband was not shown the same devotion would go against everything she stood for.

Boba hesitated before speaking again, wanting Mina to collect herself. "Senator, I'm sorry to ask this, but-"

"No! I do not believe he is dead! I know he is still alive!" She passionately argued.

"How do you know?"

"When you find your significant other - and I pray you do, Young man…" She trailed off, playing with the pendant on her necklace, "There will be this bond that will form, and you will be able to sense if they are part of the mortal coil...or gone." She choked. Boba's eyes lowered, gliding to the garden housing Tanya. He understands. "There is also information our intelligence gathered. The least my nation is doing." She hostilely mumbled. She set a projector to the table, materializing an image of a terrifying man. Skin as blue as harsh ice and pale as the frigid snow, wrinkled lines tracing the age wearing into his rock hard flesh. Triangular bones fragments sprouted from his scalp in the form of a crown. He wore battle armor that displays scratches and dent like medals of valor. And those eyes. Those blank, cerulean sockets, turning the blood of all who meet them to ice themselves. This is a man in charge. "The Lord of the Cyclians, Yohkan Jahkuub. From intel we gathered during the negotiations, and before and after, Glaciis is to hold a ritual that will take place by the end of the month." Her chest tightened. Time isn't favored when it is running out. "Why the end of the month, we aren't sure. But these people make sacrifices to their primitive spirits to ensure that their planet prospers during the harsh climates on approach." Not that planets in the Anoat System have good weather.

"And if these people are true to their faith, and your husband has been missing for a month…" The end of the month. About a week from now. Boba released an overwhelmed breath, tapping the chin of his helmet anxiously. His knee bounced restlessly, head darting from side to side. Mina was unnerved by his fidgeting. As if he was having second thoughts. "Senator, I will not lie to you. This mission has no guarantees. Not for me, my associate, and certainly not for your husband!"

"Are you saying you want more money?! Because I can-"

"I do not want you money, Senator!" He won't have her begging. She wants to beg, Tanya can come in. She likes people who beg. "No amount of money or manpower will eliminate the threat the Cyclians are! And it sure as Hell won't increase guarantees of success!" Mina's expression sank with abject despair, her body leaning into the couch. Her eyes were trapped in a horrified daze. She can hardly accept what she's hearing. Boba jabbed a finger in the table, wanting to draw the line, "Everyone in our line of work avoids any job taking them within a day of the Anoat system! If the weather doesn't kill us, the people most assuredly will! The risks are never worth the rewards!"

"Are you…" Mina's throat clenched, her voice wavering as she fought the tears in his eyes, "Are you saying you won't take the job?"

"Not in the least." Boba snickered. Mina felt a hard gust smack the side of her head. "I'm telling you this is going to be the most fun we've had in months."

 **To be continued.**

 **I am working on the next chapter now. I'll upload two to make up for the revision.**


	7. Winter Has Come

**Winter Has Come**

 _There are no guarantees in war_

 **xxx**

Boba and Tanya's star cruiser, for which they gave the designation _Redemption_ , tore through hyperspace. Long range scanners were stretched to beyond the normal parameters, running on maximum strength for the slightest approach by a stray asteroid, or something belonging to the icy sector. Or worse. The Anoat Sector was another short few hours out, planet Glaciis ever the more closer. The trip from Raxus was several days - five out of the seven needed to rescue Markus Bonteri. According to Mina Bonteri, a couple of Markus' crew went missing alongside him. Their pay will be a thousand credits more for each member's return. For the first time in their careers, Boba and Tanya may not exert themselves for extra credits. Glaciis was too dangerous to linger on. Searching for three other members will help no one. Prepping for the mission seemed to breed too many contingencies to plan for. Weather change, terrain shift, locals to be wary of, and what plans D - T are in case Markus Bonteri's captors intercept or thwart their escape. Aside from the intel Mina Bonteri shared, there are no detailed records of Glaciis or the people. Those who have ventured to the planet seldom return alive, or with their minds in tact. The experience too horrifying to describe, and the trauma damaging enough to cause long term amnesia. Those who survive are desperate to forget the experience. In those short hours between them and Glaciis, Boba and Tanya would come to learn where they stand.

Preparations for their drop were well underway. Boba and Tanya began to review notes taken during Mina's witness account. Markus Bonteri's last known location was at Lord Yahkon Jakuub's home. Home is a kind word for it. For fear of using puns, neither Boba or Tanya can come to expect a warm welcome. Lord Yahkon's _home_ was a nightmarish fortress, unmarred by the merciless blizzards, nestled in the vast spiked peaks of the Sacreluu Mountains. They would need an iron clad plan of attack, and plan of escape if they are ever going to survive this with Bonteri in tow. The way to this fortress is riddled with winding roads and tunnels. A labyrinth no outsider would ever be able to traverse without the cold taking their last breath. Bonteri's team escorting Senator Kushi relied upon the air to approach the fortress. Locals rode on creatures of their world. A compatibility those not from Glaciis would possess. The tunnels were going to be their best option. And the back door.

"Here!" Boba pinched index fingers and thumbs on the projection, zooming in on the tunnels running beneath the mountains. They stretched for thousands of miles, leading to pockets inside of above ground caves and are incidentally running underneath the fortress. "This will be your ticket in." Being an amphibian, this works perfectly for Tanya.

"My people are tropical fish!" She stressed, shivering at the idea of how cold that water is. "This water at this temperature, I'd be dead of hypothermia in a matter of hours!" Minutes if she gets lost down there.

"Maybe not!"Granted, very little is documented on the surface of Glaciis. The inner workings, however, are an entirely separate matter. Invaders of old were very detailed in their subterranean planet known has an area that's a quandary to the minds. A tropical planet with a barren wastelands, a desert planet with pockets covered in snow. Glaciis has hotsprings."The waterways are actually a long network of hot springs. There are dozens of these springs bubbling to the surface throughout the mountain. Including," Boba traced a finger, drawing a red highlight from point A to point B underneath the castle, "Inside the palace."

"Who'd have thought a luxury would be their undoing?" Tanya chortled. She then arched a perplexed brow. Boba's suit isn't aqua friendly, and she is fresh out of fish caplets. That leaves him to the surface. "That trail is too long for you to travel. Does that mean you'll be coming in by air?"

"Actually, I might have an alternate route." He directed her attention to the back of the fortress. A sheer cut off drop into a fog blanketed abyss. Above that abyss was a narrow stretch of ledge. Not nearly big enough for the ship. So this would be a drop off. "This ledge is an access route from the dungeons. I did some digging, and the Cyclians used to carry the dead down this path, and throw them into this bog."

"What happens afterward?" She cringed.

"No one knows. But, the good news is, the road isn't used anymore. Fly in low enough, that will be my ticket inside." Simple and easy - NOT. But there aren't a lot of options.

Boba's suit is equipped with thermal insulator padding fit to defend against 20 degree to sub zero temperatures. Idealy, if Mandalorian engineering is holding to its renowned reputation, the insulation should last for half a day. Supposedly a full day give or take. His jetpack will consume much of that insulation, and it wasn't meant for temperatures below 40 or higher than 140. That's the only factor working against him. That and he is an absolute wimp when it comes to the cold. He'd rather stay in the ship, sip some hot coco, and pretend he gave effort. Not going to happen.

Tanya wasn't as fortunate. Her people developed a clothing that melds and shifts to their bodies as they change into their aquatic forms. That, however, does not include or extend to parkas or any sort of cold protective gear. Tropical fish, what can you do? Her people have developed a knack for steering clear of planets without ideal climates. She rarely - as in ever - speaks about her people. If she could sum them up in one word - The Nekaltisan half, anyway - she would have to settle with _prissy._ Unlike her, they kept the silver spoon in their mouths. She spat it out years ago so she could learn how to live. Nevertheless, in spite of her utilizing heated water to infiltrate the palace, she'll be turned into a fish-cicle before the mission is over.

The hard part isn't getting in. Tanya and Boba both can do that easily blindfolded. The issue is locating the missing Field Marshal to live up to their rep. "Mina said she heard a ritual would be taking place. Faithful prefer holy ground for rituals. Do we have a place like that?"

"Yep." He's glad she asked. He zoomed in on a church. "This cathedral is on the the north side of the palace. We'll be coming in from the east and west." Better than coming in from the south and having to walk all that way. "I will be able to investigate the prisons from there. The springs will get you inside the palace; make your way to the cathedral."

"Find Markus Bonteri, save him, get back to the ship." Tanya simplified, ignoring the swelling adrenaline pounding in her veins.

"And hopefully be gone before anyone realizes we were there." He shoved a cartridge in his pistol.

 **xxx**

Planets of the Anoat Sector lived up to their macabre reputation. The moment Redemption breach the atmosphere, the mouth of a demonic storm swallowed them whole. Shrill screeches of a merciless blizzard rattled the ship, the windows stressing to stay in place. Frigid snakes of ice slithering their way inside the turbines, barely so much as melted by the engines. The blizzard carried massive shards of ice and think clumps of snow within, battering the incoming ship desperately seeking land to refuge on.

Boba and Tanya wrestled with the controls. The ship would be guided to the left, but the winds immediately shoved it to the right. Unrelenting torrents of wind sent the ship into an out of control barrel roll, a sky scraping mountain peak coming in hot and fast. Tanya diverted all power to the left turbines as Boba yanked the wheel toward the right. The ship scrolled up the length of the mountain, ice worn spikes of rock drawing closer and closer, ever so lightly tickling the hull with thin scrapes. Boba's arms lost strength in the battle, steadily giving in to the wheel's desire to turn into that mountain. Tanya grabbed the wheel along side him, planted a foot onto the wall and pulled. The ship inched from the jagged rocks, thrusted upward sharply. They closed their eyes. The mountain suddenly shrank away, a valley of marring peaks visible within the blizzard's frenzy. Boba and Tanya released held breaths of relief, falling limply like noodles to their spots. Boba loved the chair and the cushioned support at his back, but Tanya would sleep like a baby on the floor. Too bad they had work to do, and that work was approaching from the west of them.

When learning of the Cyclian fortress, Boba and Tanya honestly expected a paranoid construct of bricks, wood - hand carved rocks mostly - and a ridiculous amount of security around pretty buildings. How misguided and wrong they were. The projector display the magnitude of the fortress, but it paled to the majesty in person. Fortress was a kind term for militaristic palace. Like something out of a horror story - the fortress WAS the mountain. The main location, the cathedral - Boba and Tanya's designated area was only one piece. Spires so tall and razor sharp it cut the wind to tatters, grinding its edges on the bits of ice to favor fine their spikes. There was no need for walls to safeguard the fortress. A gorge a mile wide, with dangers nestled so deep inside not even the Cyclians dare to journey within. The only way across...a bridge leading to the front gate. A death warrant. Around this impregnable bastion were towers, homes, and neighboring lands. Reinforcements should they be needed. Information on the mountains was either outdated in the last couple of weeks, or incomplete. Either way, Boba and Tanya wouldn't divert from their previous plan.

Tanya traded places with Boba at the wheel. She road the wind currents for most of the way, then dove the ship in close behind the fortress. All luck they try to abuse during missions was used to get them in this close. The last, miniscule ounce was siphoned by the death row pathway Boba discovered. It was in tact and still able to be scaled. From there on in, it would depend on their skills if they made it out alive. Boba strapped on rocket propelled boots, sealing the tubes with caps to defend against snow that will undoubtedly wear into them. He opened the door, flinching at the frigide wall of wind crashing against him. He and Tanya wished each other well, and he jumped down. Cleats on the underside anchored his less than graceful landing. He gazed up to the zig-zagging path, unnerved by the ledges worn out by years of unuse. He waved Tanya off. The engine wasn't exactly quiet. She nodded and pulled away.

The heat of the engines blanketed him. The cold almost instantly started to make its way inside his suit. He activated the insulation, accidentally bringing his gaze to the valley over fog a short drop beneath him. The lapping fog collapsing in and rising from itself stretched on, cursing over the obscure horizon like a waterfall. Peaks of rocks graced the surface every so often, like a monster from the depths taunting the prey aimlessly wandering above, ignorant of the fate encroaching upon them. Guttural growls reverberated his ears, shaking his bones to the marrow. The wind on the mountains, or something else entirely. Boba swallowed a massive lump, fearing just what might be lurking beneath. He then eyed his obstacle to distract himself. The thick sheet of snow hailing blurred his liquid black screen. Pressing a button on the side, heat flooded the screen, clearing up his field of vision. As fate would have it, a forgotten path was vacant of guards, sentries, or lightning. Using his viewfinder, he scanned for any sort of bodies near the vicinity. He should search for cold and warm bodies. Anyone in this sort of weather can't have any body heat left. Boba will be surprised if he does.

Walking up the slope would take too much precious time. There are only two days left before the ritual was to take place. He fired a grappling hook, snagging it to a rock on the second level. He tugged hard a couple times. He slipped on a pair of spiked straps, and began digging his boots and hands on a perilous climb. The cable retracting into the grappler the higher he climbed. "When this is over, I'm charging hazard pay to that Senator's tab!" He grunted animally.

All of this work for the sort of person he would normally put a laser bolt between eyes for a few million credits. Bonteri was offering 50,000 for the return of her husband. And extra thousand for the crew who was lost with him. In their line of work, that wouldn't last for longer than a five months. Possibly less. He despises arduous work without a pay to match. Regardless if the job tickles his inner hunter. But it's not the lack of rotting his mood. It's that he has to face the cold while Tanya gets to swim in heated canals. Next time, she's suffering in the frigid cold. Amphibians!

 **xxx**

Tanya and Boba need to rethink utilizing a cruiser with home like amenities as their method of travel on jobs. The damn thing is hard enough to park, let alone hide where she thinks no one will find it. A snow bank not too far from her entry point was a good as she can hope for in unfamiliar territory. She arched curled palms downward and swiftly retracted clenched fists at her hips. The bank collapsed into a small avalanche, burying the ship in an icy camouflage, the front and back exposed. Shaking off the ice cicles forming to her arms, she flourished her hands, guiding the falling snow, covering the ship entirely. Sometimes she finds herself thanking Mace for all his work. This new control over the force comes in handy. She'll have to put it to the ultimate test one day. Too bad she can fend off the cold with it. Blowing over snowflakes isn't much a use.

The cold was already drying out her feline-reptile skin, freezing the inside of her nose and mouth. Her ears, in spite of her hood, were aching. She had to abandon her bell sleeves and waist cape. They weren't malleable to her transformation. Not even five minutes, and she already hates the damn planet. Seeing her breath on the air wasn't improving her mood. She raced into the cave, painting at the salvation from the unyieldingly blowing winds. The dulcet moaning tingled her ringing ears, reminding her of a disembodied soul warning her to turn back. She loves those voices. They make her fingers itch with anticipation. Telling her that she's in for a good time.

She didn't have to wander for too long before locating the spring. After the first turn, wafts of heat brushed her cheek, the musty pungent scent of mineral water snaking up her nose. Boba does his homework. She would have cried finding a holy grail like this in a wasteland. The surface rippled widely. What baffled her was the lime glow emanating from the spring. She was anxious to know what caused it. Navigating would certainly made easy. She sat to the edge, slipping one boot in after the other. She muled in ecstasy, throwing her head and eyes back, spasming at the warmth scaling her flesh. Better than the swill Hondo's let her try on cold night on Florum. She'll need one of those all the same. She gradually introduced herself into the pool, exhaling as she submerged. Her eyes were glazed by the purple of her irises, narrow black slits making up her pupils. Gills opened in her neck, fresh oxygen slipping in past her elongated fangs. Her hair bunched together in leather tendrils, scales smoothing to her ears. Her shirt remained as it is. But her gloves seeped into her skin, fingers contorted to corpse marring talons, fins growing at her forearms to the elbows. Boots and shorts becoming one with her flesh as her legs were wrapping in a thick layer of leathery skin, growing into a tail that added an extra foot and a half to her. A spiny fin grew along the tail.

She batted her eyes to adjust to the powerful heat. The water lacked salts, but other minerals stung her eyes fiercely. A gaping hole replacing the floor had a current of water rushing rushing past Tanya, wafting her tendrils and lightly massaging her skin. Fizzling bubbles curdled at her ear, trailing bumps down her neck. It was a pleasant sound. Explains the odd rippling above. _How long has it been since I've swam the depths of the ocean?_ She asked herself. Times like this, she does often miss her planet, the morning waves, the smell of the red oak-mangroves in the morning, and the sounds of the gullies. She can reminisce later.

Tanya dove into the tunnel, pausing briefly at how enclosed the tunnel became. She swam a short way before finding her way into a large networking chasm. Tunnels, dead end caves - a web of aqueducts connecting these forsaken mountains. At the very bottom, far enough so that they won't boil her alive, were volcanoes overflowing with perpetual heat. Strobing red and orange glows emanating from the geysers, the bubbles reducing as they elevated, releasing tiny bursts of heat. If it weren't for the map in her projector, she'd be scared she'd get lost. At least she has hot water to swim in. But still…

"I swear if I cook in here, Mina Bonteri, I will cook you." Damn to Hell whatever admiration she has.

 **xxx**

Sheer walls of ice, the rock almost devoured under the force of the evil blizzard. Cracks splintered the walls, breaking away large chunks that shattered like glass as they plummeted. Clashes similar to lightning shot to Boba's ears, almost making him jump off the wall. Pure blue lizards growling with rows of jagged teeth nested in burrows. Their piercing eyes warning the scaling boy not to come any closer. Winged leather beasts soared through the storm with the utmost ease, slicing the battering clumps of ice and snow clean in half. The planet's climate was as terrifying as its wildlife.

The first flight, and then another, and then another. The spikes on the cleats and gloves were being eaten alive by the shrewd ice, weakening their grasp in the rock. By the third wall, the muscles in Boba's arms and legs burned fiercely, weighing heavier than a B2 attack droid's chassis. He poured too much weight on each hand and foot. Ice formed in between the cleats. He dug in a foot and pushed up. The toe slipped. Both his feet dropped and he slid several feet. He buried his palms and feet, grinding to a halt just at a protruding hold. Were it not for the grapple, he would have plummeted to a very painful landing, and there would be another body to save. He released a breath, teeth chattering uncontrollably. He glared to the next slope, and the last one before his entry. He growled animally, shaking off the numbness, and began clawing his way up.

As he climbed, he found himself stopping every so often, lost in rampaging thoughts bombarding him since the early morning. He's being depended upon. Relied upon to ensure a plan goes smoothly, and that his end isn't the end that costs everyone around him their lives. He's never known that feeling. Not with Aurra...and not with Jango. He's not being babysat, watched, or constantly hassled by radio chatter to _keep his guard up_. No. Someone who genuinely trusts him, understands his strengths and limitations, believes in his skills has absolute faith that he will come through. Just as she has proven to come through for him these past few months. After two years on his own, having to claw his way from that abyss he fell in, fighting to hold back the bile as he watched her battle alongside Jango's murderer, and listening to the rumors of The Fetts losing their touch - Boba can't describe what's churning inside of him. Relief, joy, anger, sorrow - its all the same at times like this. He laughed at himself, cursing his shameful self doubt. He who was named the ninth deadliest Bounty Hunter within their creed. Right now, he has a chance to prove himself - to prove to himself - that everything he's learned wasn't a waste for his father or anyone else. Here and now, he'll earn his rank as Number IX.

A flat ridge met his palm. Boba kicked in a foot hold, grunting loudly as he hauled half his body onto the slope. Boba threw himself to the slope, rolling onto his back. Sweet bliss flooded his spine. He tilted his helmet, breathing in fresh air. _The hard part is over,_ he told himself. Regaining his second wind, he scrambled on his hands and feet, choosing to walk up the final slope to the dungeon entrance.

Crude and medieval is the perfect description. The back gate to the dungeon area was a heavy duty, towering portcullis. Boba grasped the bars, jerking the portcullis in the delusion he could wrench the gate free, or pry a couple bars from place. No such luck. And he doesn't think his arms are long enough to reach the winch controls 20 feet away. He backed away from the gate, studying the frozen barricade top to bottom. No chance in Hell is he climbing again. His arms, legs, and everything else can't take much more. Doubling back for another entrance will only put him drastically behind. There isn't another entrance that would bring him anywhere near the dungeon. There's only one other option left to him. He just hopes it doesn't draw any unwanted attention. Unclipping one of the jets from his boots, he adjusted the power output, enclosing the barrel to a narrow slot. There was an intense shriek and a narrow turbine of flames ignited in the shape of a pike. A quick test slice on a nearby metal rod yielded a blistering gash, and charred ice that wasn't allowed to melt fast enough.

"Lightsabers meet rocket daggers!" He chuckled. Boba meticulously cut an opening his height, darting sights between the bars and the stretch of tall corridor. Shrill grinding screeched in his ears, rebounding off the high ceilings. He began to pray the blizzard was as fierce as it felt, drowning out noises that could be written off as typical home noises. He so much as sees a rat he's taking a shot.

The bars fell one at a time, ringing out as every other one bounced from stone floor to snow, jumping Boba's nerves. He killed the flames, returning the jet back to its original settings and clipping it to his boot. He waited for the snow to cool down the smoldering hole, and then slipped himself in. Someone was bound to find that sooner or later, and then all Hell will break loose. Two pistols drawn, Boba jogged along the left wall, stifling his rapid footsteps as he drew near the adjacent hallway. Elemental wearing was apparent in the walls, and decorative crevices were crumbling, gaping holes in the wall. Torches used to light the dim hallway had their tar covered tarps frozen solid, the ashes spilling from the edges resembling blackened icicles. By all appearances, this portion of the prison was void of life. Has been for quite some time, as they came to discover.

Boba's entrance gradually slipped further away, the fathoms of the prison's death row grew darker and darker the deeper inside he went. A sense of isolation gripped him. The paranoia that the walls would try to claw for him sent shivers shooting down his back. He wasn't sure what he was looking for that would take him up into the prison. Stairs, a lift, a rope? He questioned every hallway he chose to dart down. Was this the right one? Did I take a wrong turn? It felt as if he was wandering aimlessly for hours, in spite of it only being a few short minutes. He stopped at an intersection, fiddling with a device on his wrist known as a multi-purpose com. Not so different from control system used on ships or on projectors, but much more convenient. A miniature computer for the wrist. He activated a mapping application, tracing his route as he entered the next corridor, and darted down the next. The place was a maze. A terrifying maze, rife with the ghoulish moans of the blizzard snaking inside.

According to the map on his Link-Com, he was heading in the right general direction. Another corridor away was a spiral staircase leading to the prison area. Hopefully gate free. He kept the viewfinder lowered over his right eye, scanning for patrolling bodies sauntering his way. Then again, the lack of personnel was unnerving. Where is everybody? Why haven't there been any guards?

The absence of guards or not, Boba wasn't about to let his guard down. He brushed his back scaling the spiral staircase, glancing back and forth for those shifty walls. Honestly, he hasn't been in a paper this creepy since that job in the tombs of Toydaria. Long story that one is. Ends with Boba having nightmares for a week. Coming to the top of the stairs, he peeked around a corner, eyes and jaw widening in awe of the enormous cell block. The atrium in Duchess Satine's palace would weep in inferiority. There was a second level circumventing the whole cell block, guarded by bars acting as a second barrier for the cells. On the main floor where Boba started to skulk, numerous aisles of jail cells were erect toward the second floor. Four cells stacked on top of each other, capable of holding ten people. 20 if someone with a cruel sense of humor were to get involved. Speaking of cruel, there were cages inside the lovely prison as well. The room was built tall enough for a third floor. Instead, cages dangled on brittle chains. Skeletal legs, hands, and skulls hung out. The signs if prisoners desperate to escape, or who resigned to their fate.

Boba's stomach was built strong for carnage and massacres. Prisons seem to churn his insides, tug at his heart strings with woes for the forgotten ones of prisons. As he scouted for Markus or anyone from his detail, Boba ghosted past the cells, taken aback by the emaciated figures trapped on the inside of their bars. The frigid weather wasn't barred entry. Sub zero temperatures flooded the cells with ice, razor sharp icicles dangling around the frames of the cells. The trip through a prison is never easy for him. Finding Cyclians imprisoned by their own government isn't on his _do not expect_ list. A lower species of Cyclian by the looks of them. Skin blued from becoming accustomed to the planet, but he resembled a zombie. Dried lips curled to rows of jagged teeth, veins showing in a bald, crusty scalp, and tattered rags hanging to ragged forms. Rodians, Twi'leks, Togruta, and humans, on the other hand, stunned him. People from one end of the universe to the others were freezing to death in these cells. Sheets of ice dried to their discolored skin, mouths and eyes frozen shut. Shallow, slow breaths from their noses showed on the air. Conditions worse than both frostbite and hypothermia plague the prisoners, siphoning what little life remained and turning them into ghouls. Days, weeks, years - these people have not tasted the sweet bliss of freedom, or warm weather in a very long time. And they never will. Not in this lifetime. They weren't going to last long. And seeing as they barely reacted to him sauntering by, asking then about Bonteri or his crew would be a waste of breath.

"Well would ya lookie here!" A high pitched drawl whipped Boba around in a panic, blasters aimed to the next aisle he sauntered by. A crazed codger with teal skin cackled a few cells away, waving his scrawny arm from between the bars. Boba searched for guards, then cautiously approached, guns aimed to kill. "Another one fresh for the choppin' block! A Mando, no less! WOO! These fellers are gonna be ravin' once they find yew! HA-HA-HA!" He laughed like the insane character he was, slapping his frozen knee with a three fingered hand. His all grey mustache and beard was forever knotted. Bandana tied to his gourd shaped head, and his eyes beady red with whatever chill induced madness plagued them. What remained of his clothing was shredded. Boba studied the cell her shared with five others. Dead and rotting slowly in these conditions. Grooves in the wall from the inmates trying to claw their way out. A fit of madness taking over while the cold ate them alive. The dried lips, and by the cackling man's sinking skin, dehydration and hunger aided in their slipping sanity into death. "Say...wait a durn minute! You ain't in chains, and you ain't been a prisoner! I'd know!" Boba cringed when he pressed his face to the bars. He pried one of his eyes open so wide the inside of the socket showed. "I know EV~ERY~ONE in here! And I don't know you! Don't tell me yew came here on a holiday?! HA! YER CRAZIER THAN I AM!"

"I'm not here on holiday!" Boba snapped. This guy was giving him a headache. "Where are all the guards?"

"No clue! They've been absent for two days now!"

Boba arched a brow. It has to be for the ritual said to be taking place. The timing was too perfect. "I'm looking for a man named Markus Bonteri! And maybe some others!" Boba pulled out his holo-projector, showing the crazy man a photo. "They've been here for the past month. You seen them?"

"OH, HEY! I recognize this guy!" He cackled. "Yeah! He was here! Four others with him too."

Four others. Good they were alive. For now. " _Was_?" Boba isn't too fond of past tense in these situations.

The crazy man itched his scrambled head, sucking on his pruning lips. He shook his head regretfully. "The last time I saw these guys, they were bein' taken to the infirmary!"

"What for?! Were they sick?! Injured?" They might still be there.

"Ain't that type of infirmary, friend!" He snorted, laughing heartily. "These Cyclians...they don't care for the wounded, and they sure as Hell don't care for outsiders!" He gestured to his _cell mates_ as proof. Neither Cyclian nor other species were showed mercy in these cells.

Boba made a mental note not to get caught here. "Don't suppose you know the way to the infirmary."

"From what my friend here told me - before she... _departed_ …" He nudged a dead Cyclian with his foot, "The infirmary is three halls right, and up a flight of stairs."

"Thanks…" He mumbled, then moseyed on his way.

"HEY! WAIT! AREN'T YA GONNA CUT ME LOOSE!" Boba put the wailing man out of his mind, opening a door into the hallway. "AW! COME ON! I CAN'T LIVE IN HERE ANYMORE…"

Boba passed detainment cages, interrogation rooms, and a room with _tools_ he would rather not theorize what they're used for. He absentmindedly waited for each of the doors he passed to open automatically, forgetting the planet relied on more old school methods of entry. Door knobs. Boba can't remember if he's ever seen a doorknob before. Best to not tell Tanya. She'll never let him live it down.

Speaking of Tanya, its past due when they needed to check in.

 **xxx**

Tanya was starting to see double in her watery escapade. The heat was getting to her worse than that month old sushi a restaurant fed hed. That's not a good memory. _Ugh_! Boba has yet to let her live it down. What she's also yet to live down is she's terrible at reading maps. After that large cavern she entered, she followed the map to the best of her abilities, getting turned around after ten minutes and four turns. She lost count as to the wrong turns she's taken, and to the nest of odds creatures roosting within those caves. She wasn't aware Skauldramanders had even found their way to a planet like this. But enough about them. She's beginning to feel a little...lightheaded...and sick...and... _iced-pudding._

"Ugh...man…" The unbearable heat subsided only minimally as she drifted to ledge near the ceiling. Her chest rose and fell with heavy, raspy breaths, her lungs burning to the brink of shriveling. Her muscles were regressing to noodles, and her bones felt like they were splintering like charred wood. She was being baked alive by this heat. She can feel it in her scales. They're drying and peeling. The fins on her arms; she can easily tear them off. "Next time, I'm giving Boba the underwater mission! This crap is for the fish!"

In some failed attempt at finding salvation, she studied the map one more time. It's all Geonosian to her. These red squiggles...they were supposed to be a route, right? Which one was she supposed to follow? Wait, how many maps did she bring with her? Who cares?! They mean nothing to her. She hasn't the foggiest idea where she's at. She laughed derisively at herself. Her first real mission in a long while where Boba is counting on her, and she's going to die like an entre. Another thing Boba will never let her live down. _Heh._ That's if she lives.

Glimmers of rolling light shined in her eyes, sending startling jolts down her spine. Tanya raised her hand, blocking the lights. A part of her was scared it was THE light, and wanted to make a break for it. Death may come, but she sure as Hell won't make it easy for him. Then a strange cooling sensation flooded her body, chasing her delirium back a few yards. She batted the blurs away, the tunnel gradually came into view. The source of the rolling lights were reflective rocks imbedded in the heated rock. She followed the lights up, feeling angels lifting her up yet another tunnel. This one with a strange hue rippling near the surface. The closer she drew, the more she felt a distinctive cold wisp of air breaching the water. Her exit!

The walls transformed from crude rock to smoothed, carved, tiled stone. The taste of salts was in this part of the water. Tanya ignored them momentarily to acknowledge that she had finally found her way inside. She never thought she'd come to miss the cold so much. Tanya restrained herself from breaking the surface. Who knows how many guards are on the other side. Taking a moment, she's amazed she swam with these swords on her back. Maybe she should consider going with a Zygerrian whip. Lightweight, and conveniently shaped liked a lightsaber. Those nightsticks had their uses. She took a deep breath, quieting her mind and body, closing her eyes off to the world. She shaped her fingers into a symbol of focus, concentration, peace of mind. A bit of Mace's training that has proven useful a few times here and there. The force gathered around her, passing through the water as if it were passing on whispers of wind, or being carried on the back of sound's orchestra. The gates to all her senses opened. The gentle swishing of the water tracing her flexing ears, the laps against the circular walls, guiding her to the room - a rather large room - above her. She can feel the stone at her tail as if she had slithered on, feel the cold wrought from the temperamental weather out, hear the empty echoes. She was able to the doors, taste the blood in the air. Wherever she is, whatever sordid past this planet has, it has brought to a place where the dreams of those die like the sun.

Tanya's talons gripped to edges, her free hand wrapping to one of her swords, and she pulled herself up. She slashed her sword free, prepared to cut the throat of whoever stood in her way. To her surprise there was no one. She cast a skeptical scrutinizing eye around the room she discovered. There were five other holes in the ground, filled to the brim from the same system of water she had the pleasure of traversing. The towels, the bricks of salt in a corner, and strange looking oils - she was in a bathhouse. It was oddly clean. The blood she smelled was coming from everywhere. This place reeked of death. Guess she should be grateful she didn't end up in the morgue. Slowly Tanya climbed out, sword still in regressing hand. Water dripped heavily as one boot after the other stepped to the stone carved floor. Her clothing, freeing itself from her skin, soaked through and through. Her hair was a wiry mess. She stooped to all four, shaking off the water, twisting her body in sections. Rarely does she do it, but never in front of others. The house pet jokes are becoming tiresome.

"BRR!" She clamped hands to her arms, shivering like mad. The temperature felt like it dropped another 20 degrees. Maybe the boiling water wasn't so bad. She needs to keep moving or she'll freeze. _Step-step-step._ Tanya's ears shot up. Her eyes narrowed to the door. _Step-step-step-step._ Someone was coming. She ran to a support column near the back corner. Bracing her hands and feet to the wall and pillar, she climbed to a shadowed ledge, squeezing herself tight. The door cracked open on hinges. _Hinges. Haven't seen those since Aetha._ Hinges and knobs - old school. Back to business.

Tanya skulked along the ledge to get a better look. Someone entered the bath house. Someone Tanya wasn't expecting in the least. A young woman covered head to toe with frozen gashes, clothing barely able to be considered rags hanging on her thin figure. A brown furred vest, shorts hugged to her hips with a belt, and her bare feet. With her was a bucket of disgusting water, and a mop stiff as a broom. Filth and grime were caked to her skin, infecting her wounds. Her bones were able to be seen through her pale skin. The sockets around her eyes were blacker than black. Tanya felt her heart wrench at the sight of her. The last time this woman ate must have been when anti-gravity technology was a blueprint. She pulled up the roster of missing team members with Markus Bonteri. This woman wasn't one of them.

As the woman dipped the mop, she felt eyes on her and shot her gaze up. She screamed at the top of her lungs, dropping the mop and bucket, scrambling away from the feline lurking in the shadows. She tripped over her own two feet trying to run away, clawing and wriggling for the door. She yelped in agony from a simple crawl. No muscle to protect those sensitive nerves. Humans can be so fragile. Tanya rolled her eyes. This was sad to watch. She pounced in the doorway, latching her hands to the woman's shoulders. The woman roared and flailed blind punches and kicks as Tanya hoisted her to her feet. Paper was more threatening than this woman, but that's something she'll keep to herself.

"Please! Please! Calm down! I'm here to help you!" Tanya yelled over the woman's snarling. Nails slashed Tanya's cheek open, drawing three trails of blood. Her bony fingers were equipped with abnormally strong - and gnarly - nails. Tanya will let is slide for now.

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY! WON'T GO BACK! WON'T GO BACK!" She frothed at the mouth, literally. The woman's eyes were maddening red, the pupils dialing to the smallest dots. Saliva was foaming to her mouth, and her teeth were the ugliest yellow. A surprise they were still in her mouth. "WON'T GO BACK! WON'T BE MADE! CAN'T BE MADE!"

"Go back where?! What are you talking about!? I'm here to save someone!" She shook the woman violently, screaming so she would hear her. By her manic laughter, nothing could reach this woman.

"PAH! YOU CAN'T SAVE US!" He eyes darted to the swords crossed at her back. For an atrophic woman she has remarkable speed. She unsheathed Tanya's sword before she could blink, and pushed herself free. Tanya gaped in dismay of the mad woman. She staggered skittishly toward one of the pools, gazing upon the sword as if she discovered the key to her ultimate triumph. Dry, creepy laughter heaved from her cracked throat. She traced fingers along the smooth edge, drooling hungrily at the red liquid spilling down her fingers. She locked mad eyes with Tanya fretful gaze. She had her hands raised, motioning for the woman to stay calm. To let her help. Shaking hands squeezing to the hilt, the sword angled for her stomach, . "No one can save us…" Tears of pure relief spilled down her frozen cheeks.

"NO! DON'T!"

The woman buried the sword in her stomach, sprouting it out of her back. Tanya was rooted in abject horror, transfixed by the pool splashing at her wobbling feet. This smile of both despair and release froze to her emaciated face. The freedom her elongated nails have grasped for was hers. The backs of her heels touched the pool. She dropped the sword, spreading her arms like a free bird, and sank into the pool with a splash, turning the clear water crimson.

Tanya's hand dropped at her side, her head hanging in failure. She uttered a silent prayer for the lost woman in her mind, wishing her the best as she passed into the next life. Retrieving her sword, Tanya watched her sink into the tunnel, being swept away by the current. Wherever she emerges, it will be preferable to where she was. Tanya cleaned the blade off, sheathing it to its holster. Yeah. She should have kept the lightsaber. Maybe that'll be the excuse she uses to _visit_ Mace.

' _No one can save us._ ' Her final words. Tanya began to wonder if that applied to only her and those she knew, or if it meant Mina Bonteri was about to receive some bad news.

" _T...ya. Tanya!_ " The communicator in her ear crackled frantically, stunning her out of her reverence. " _Mandalore to Tanya! Come in!_ "

"Hey! I'm here! What's going on?!" She panted, touching a finger to her ear.. He's as subtle as a tank.

" _Found my way into the prison. Nothing. Doesn't look like Markus or his crew have been here in the last week._ " Tanya's shoulders sank. She didn't expect it to be easy, but was hoping the mission would end sooner rather than later. " _A nut job stuck in the cells pointed me to the infirmary. Get this - it wasn't for healing the wounded._ "

"Science lab?" She turned on her heels, entering the bath house corridor.

" _More like a slaughterhouse that sidelines as a morgue._ " Tanya shuddered at the shiver in his tone. Boba has amazing fortitude in the face of gore. It must be bad if he's resisting his gag reflex. " _Tanya...they brought prisoners here...cut into them like livestock..._ " He was biting on his cheek, fighting against his churning stomach. Tanya furrowed her brow, listening to him take in deep breaths, " _There's a body here...and she...evidence shows she was bled and gutted anti-mortem._ " Tanya's eyes widened, goose bumps snaking over every inch of her skin. Her heart pounded rapidly, revving mind digressing to the sloshing pool. ' _No one can save us._ ' " _What the Hell have we stepped into?_ "

"You know something, Boba…?" She crooned, her tongue lathering her stretching lips. _This is...this is GOOD!_ She muted the coms so Boba wouldn't hear her snickering. Tatooine, Aetha, Florum, and now Glaciis. A planet teeming with merciless, bloodthirsty murderers and sociopaths. The misery, agony, and torture of their victims the one source that feeds their trudging of the daily grind. Every nerve was tingling, the drool in her mouth was spilling over her lips, and her muscles spasming. Fingers wiggling like worms, pupils dilating in arousal, and her tail whipping left to right. Raspy breaths flowed past her lengthening fangs. She put the sound back on the communicator, "I've been wondering that myself."

This mission is going to be fun.

 **To be continued.**


	8. Not A Jedi

**Not A Jedi**

 _The worst nightmares are not in our minds_

 **xxx**

Boba wasn't able to get it out of his head. What he saw earlier, it was engraved in his mind. Fingers, limbs, and clumps of clawed off hair and head tails were scattered everywhere. Nails from victims desperate to escape completely pried off, full sets of teeth trapped between tile grooves. That desperation marshalled a level of strength no mortal being would possess, leaving three inch deep grooves clawed into solid stone. Bodies remarkably intact were plastered at the walls. Signs these people begged for freedom, and were willing to scale to the ceiling. Climb to a heavenly release. The nightmares that transpired in this room and nd it wasn't even the main infirmary. Like he told Tanya, the room he discovered was a secondary operating room. The tools used for dead bodies were clearly used on live people. What minimal body parts that were present, Boba was able to analyze and study them, conjuring by the decay that these people were alive while being gutted. Heart wrenching still was the state of the tools used. Normally there are signs of maintenance and care. These were never cleaned, changed, or even out in a sanitizer. The same tools - knives, saws, blowtorches, masks,scissors - were used every single time. The entire place was a cesspool of of...he'd really rather not say. Which makes him nauseous at what the state of the main infirmary. He was about to find out.

The creaking infirmary door wasn't nearly as cringing as the foul, pungent odor of blood crashing to him in a tidal wave. There was a corridor standing between him and the main _hospital_ ward, but the smell of death was powerful. The filters in his helmet weren't strong enough to barricade the smell, even with a door in the way. A very, very terrifying door that more than likely has piles of dead bodies on the other side. Or the cold in the fortress trapped the traces of corpses, and experimental cadavers and every so often releases the gases trapped within. He crossed his fingers for the second option. Although, should the first option be viable, it'll warm his itchy trigger fingers and wipe his blood lust to know that he is in the company of sociopaths.

Step by step Boba entered the infirmary's daunting corridor, nerves jumping at the hollow echoes of his footsteps. Iron, mold, sweat, and the distinct scent of fecal matter wafted to his nose. He has a strong stomach for death, but the smell was almost too unbearable for him. Definitely should have given Tanya this end of the mission and he takes the underwater tunnels.

Boba pressed his back against one if the double doors. He peered through one of the windows, maneuvering side to side to see the obscure walls. Nothing, no one. He placed a flat palm on the door and slowly entered, pistol raised and set to the highest setting. He was stricken by abject disbelief. The room was...spotless. Night and day to the other room. Save for minor gashes, and breaks in the walls, and the typical stains. Other than that, this room hasn't been used since that bloodbath next door. By the decay and crusted blood, weeks or the past month. The question that remains is, was Markus Bonteri or his crew one of the bloodstains in the next room? If so, what are they going to tell Mina? The money wasn't a factor at this moment. This isn't the sort of news Boba wanted to convey.

He touched two fingers to his helmet com, sucking on his lips with reluctance. "Tanya, the infirmary is empty! Nobody's been here in a long time!" Not good news, and not bad news. "Not even the prisoners know where they could be! I'd keep asking, but I doubt going back to the prison will solve anything."Save for the cackling maniac offering to be his tour guide, he got the distinct feeling the prisoners don't like outsiders.

" _Wish I had your luck. I just met a woman who killed herself without hesitating."_ The regret in her tone was powerful. Suicides are Tanya's weak spot. A coward's way, and the way out for those who give up. By the sounds of it, that woman gave up. Speaking volumes to how devastating Glaciis can be.

"Did she say anything before she died?" He doesn't mean to sound callous, but they're on a clock.

" _Only that we 'can't save them.' Them, I believe, being our missing Field Marshall and his crew."_

Boba growled exasperated, slapping his pistol at his thigh. A woman's dying message warning them that their pay day and this whole mission might be a waste of time. It doesn't take a lot of thought to deduce they were charging Bonteri extra for this hassle. "Where are you now?"

" _I'm nearing the cathedral._ "

"I'll meet you there then. This place is giving me the chills." He can't shake the feeling the walls were staring at him. Boba sprinted back into the hallway. Part of him urged him to be cautious for guards, yet he had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't encounter any. The past three corridors he ran a marathon through are proving his theory. "Tanya, this is getting weird. Granted, we haven't seen the whole fortress. But to not run into any guards?"

" _I hear you! There should be SOMEBODY around here. Yet we haven't encountered a welcoming committee._ " Good, so he isn't the only one thinking it. An empty base is a hunter's dream. Makes the job easy. He's begged for something like this for years. Unfortunately his better judgement is nagging him worse than a burn. They infiltrated a momentous fortress that breeds abject fear as virulent as the ice and snow burying the planet. The people merciless in their ways, and with devastating motives behind their methods. Military operatives best in their field were ambushed while walking out the front door. The retreating parties barely able lift off by the skin of their teeth to escape back to Raxus. Cold, calculating, ruthless, and aggressive. By Mina's own account from what Senator Kushi experienced, hundreds of these Cyclians came from thin air to thwart them. And yet the castle is emptier than a Hutt's conscience. " _Save for a few birds and an ugly dog, I haven't seen anyone. This place is a ghost town."_

"Which...begs the question..." Boba trailed off, storming from the empty infirmary, "Are they in the cathedral?" Boba shuddered. The final stop for those unfortunate enough to be captured on Glaciis. Logically, it would be the one place the Cyclians would be centered. Technically this ritual isn't due to begin for another day or two. The preparations involved might be a coaxing factor for their gathering. Then again, this logic is resting on the hopes the Cyclians are a devotedly pious populace. Meaning it can lean to them on the right, or throw them into the pot with the others on the left.

" _Hopefully._ " Boba gasped at her response, then saw its merit. If they aren't in the cathedral, it means the alternative.

 **xxx**

The Palace's exterior, though monumentally impressive and terrifying, belied the enormousy, and number enigmatic corridors of the interior. The way to the courtyard was far more winding than anticipated. The count was lost as to how often new turns led to already scoured hallways, or how a flight of stairs going up bewilderingly went into cellars of sorts. Likely a purposeful construction to drive outsiders to the brink of madness, while the Cyclians savor hunting their quarry. They've earned a medal in architectural marvels. A shame Boba and Tanya are on a time crunch, otherwise they'd play tourist.

Through moderate radio chatter, Boba and Tanya informed one another of their locations and left markings on the walls to indicate wrong turns. The way to the north side wasn't a total waste of effort. Every other turn, Boba and Tanya discovered rooms canvassed by wall to wall etchings filled with knowledge on the Cyclian people. Hieroglyphics of the day life was breathed into their people, and the immeasurable lengths they've traversed to ensure their population thrived. Their ways of living, rituals, and daily grind of lives - a wealth of knowledge not kept anywhere else would randomly greet the Sibling Hunters. The best either Boba or Tanya could do was capture photos of what they saw, and hope they can study it for later.

After what felt like an eternity, the two were reunited in a large atrium at the north end of the fortress. They skulked inside, uniting back to back with sword and pistols drawn. An atrium this large begs for an arranged ambush. Hidden security measures, a trap door, or at least a threatening, loudly snoring guard. None of the above were present. The urge to shout and hear their echo pulled at the pair. Best to not push their luck - whatever's left - too far.

"Anything?" Tanya whispered, her ears flexing front to back.

"Not even a dormouse." Boba huffed. He always made a point to have a contact on Mandalore send him the newest in the military tech. Another bit of irony courtesy of the leading planet in pacifism. Warm bodies, or cold, or figures moving that weren't each other - Boba and Tanya are the only two living, breathing beings in the palace.

The silence was too unbearable. The temperature had to be negative 30 below and yet Boba was sweating worse than pigs on Mustafar. Tanya would kill to be in his shoes, seeing as she's still wet from her infiltration. Ironically, it wasn't the cold sending chills down her spine. In rhythmic sways her tail went side to side, the tip whipping at the frigid air. Her ears alternated directions, the energy contained within the atrium carrying her sense to every nook and cranny. Not a soul was near them.

"Do you sense anything?" Boba hoped.

"Not a thing." Tanya's ability to detect others, due to her untrusting and paranoid nature, are sharp when it comes to identifying eavesdroppers. She felt blind and deaf. "Your prison buddy say anything else?"

"Nothing that doesn't indicate all who come here are doomed to never leave."

"Then we'd better reach the cathedral before we adopt the same line of thinking." Boba wasn't going to argue with her there.

Doors relying on primitive hinges and knobs racked Tanya and Boba's nerves worse than coming under heavy enemy fire. The worn hinges ground ear piercingly loud, shaking the crystallized chandeliers dangling above. The door's click resounded like a gun hammer. Boba almost whipped around to start shooting. Thankfully, Tanya wrapped her tail and guided the barrel down. This job has them both too on edge. Just one guard and they'll relax. As they rounded a corner, the corresponding hallway had wide pan, towering windows travelling the left side wall. Winding, gnarly trees no more than vertically ascending sticks snaked along the window, firmly melded together by blisters of ice. Neither have come across this hallway. They must be heading in the right direction finally.

Tanya moved to take the first step into the hall, her hand on the hilt of her sword. Boba tackled her to the floor, wrestling to the wall beneath the windows. She bared her teeth. Boba's hand clamp over her mouth, and he shushed her with a finger. He moved two fingers from his eyes to the windows. Tanya's anger subsided instantly. He saw something. She nodded to him, moving slowly to peer past the edges. The two rose on their knees, wiggling to use what brush was by the window. That's the courtyard they needed to find, and on the opposite end was the cathedral they've been searching for. There couldn't have been a short distance to the cathedral. A jaunt to a secondary living area. And, to their conflicted delight and terror, the route through the courtyard was filled to the brim with marching guards. They should be careful with what they wish for.

"Guess we found our Cyclians." Tanya shuddered. A Cyclian guard marched near their position. Cracks at the corners of the eyes led to ebony holes. Slits where their nose should be widened and closed, their hot breath evaporating in the frigid air. Scarring around the sockets suggests their eyes were gouged out, leaving these creatures to thrive on the only other sense they have. And she thought the Wraiths on Aetha were ugly. Skeletal structures tautly wrapped to muscular, skin like mass is what made up these creatures. Revealing veins seen on their exposed icy flesh were a pale grey, filtering by strobing beads being pumped by their black hearts. The bones structures were arranged similar to battle armor - forearms braced by gauntlets sprouting shredding spikes at the elbow. Shin guards capable of withstanding blow from a landmine. Their tunics were made of a type of alloy similar to what chainmail would made from. Their helmets were cringe worthy. They are crafted from the skulls of their victims, modified by the imbedded nails securing them to the skulls. Around their collar, the bones were shaped similar to a feral animal's teeth. The exaggerated spiked shouldering coupled by the snug chest plating were intended to force oncoming enemies to think twice before approaching them.

"Yippie for us!" Boba huffed. 20...30...40 GUARDS! More?! Boba wasn't able to count them because they were moving so much. Too many for the two of them to fight off - that's how many there are. Scary still was their in sync march. Perhaps a squad of five or more in each group he spotted, and their harmony wasn't hindered. The courtyard wasn't exactly small. A whole estate would fit perfectly. But to watch the Cyclians patrol the grounds in well fortified squads, never stepping on one another, propping their tomahawk axes on their shoulders. The demographic of the guards varied tremendously. Some were scrawny with elongated limbs. Others buff and cracking the ground with each steps. Those of what is regular In spite of their lack of sight, Boba won't insult himself by deeming he and Tanya have a snowball's chance in Hell of simply walking to the cathedral. They've experienced more than enough times in the past that anyone can turn a disadvantage into a phenomenal advantage.

Boba snuck a finger to the glass, testing the durability with a few quick taps. Sturdy, and minimizes sound. A squad or two of the Cyclians would march by and Boba and Tanya would barely hear them. Time for a test of Boba's. He lifted a stray chunk of debris, tossing it up and down. Tanya gave him a permitting nod, and with a flick of his wrist he sent the rock skipping down the hall. The chunk lost a few pieces, but the collective cracks stopped a handful of guards in mid stride. They snarled vulgarly, spinning on their heels to the strange noise. Their slit nostrils flaring as they scoured for what caused the sound. Tanya grabbed hold of Boba, pulling him into a narrow arch. Guards jogged in from an entrance a corridor away, racing to where they heard the chunk crack. They sniffed and snarled, gathering like bloodhounds on the hunt. Two of them howled aggressively, gargling in an obscure language to their underlings.

"In place of their sight, their hearing is sensitive." Boba noted. He can use that later.

"Their sense of smell isn't half bad either." Tanya remarked. She motioned her head for Boba to take another look. He went pale as a sheet. Three of the guards were on all fours, inhaling the tiled floor and trailing up to the air. Their heads weaved side to side as they stalked through the hall, heading directly for Boba and Tanya's position. "I think they caught our scent." Boba reached a hand for his pistol. Tanya stopped him, shaking her head. If five were drawn by a rock being thrown, a laser bolt will bring a hoard. "We'll do this my way." She trained hardened purple orbs on the encroaching guards. Her fingers curled and uncurled anxiously. Not even 10 yards was between them, and yet Tanya can't sense their presence. As if, were they not in the hallway, Tanya would never know they were there. Nevertheless, she carefully extended her hand, focusing on the bit of neck showing under their armor. Those fragile bones safeguarding the windpipe. Her pupils narrowed to slits. She swept her arm, fingers closing. A sickening crunch followed by a death gasp, and a behemoth guard dropped dead to the floor. His shattered neck practically twisting his head all the way back. The one remaining behemoth snarled at the thud, running hands over his dead companion. The crawlers bared their teeth, scrambling on their hands and feet, sniffing heatedly for the attackers. Tanya snickered under her breath. There's what she was looking for. The fear. The people of Aetha, Ventress, even Yoda himself - fear is a gripping emotion. And once the noose is set, Tanya is free to pry the plank from under their feet. And, sure enough, one by one, with fear's noose, Tanya...pulled...hard. Those tiny bones shattering like glass. The remaining guards hit the floor. More dead bodies to join what is thrown in the prison.

Boba cringed, shivering in terror. "I forgot how good you are at that." Tanya seductively licked her finger, chuckling ominously. "Sensitive senses of hearing and smell. This may not be easy." He stated. He and Tanya crouched low, walking under the window past the guards. The void sockets of the dead guards seemed to follow them.

Boba and Tanya positioned themselves on either side of the entrance the guards used. Their backs plastered at the walls, they peered into the courtyard. The cathedral was an easy hop, skip, and a jump away. Ten stone steps and a twist of a knob and their job was half over. The dozens of guards are a minor nuance. "Barely any cover, an army of guards, and heavy holy doors." Tanya was liking their odds. "Dash and go?" She crooned.

"After you." Boba bowed, sweeping his hand.

Tanya smirked and stooped to her hands and feet, shuffling her shoulder blades. She waited a moment, allowing a couple squads of Cyclians to pass. Then, barely crunching the patches of snow, she darted behind a bush. Poking her head up, she scanned for possible lookie loos. None of the guards so much as halted their patrol. She scaled a neighboring tree, the weeping sheets of ice serving a minor purpose in her obscurity. Traction in her boot was iced. Her foot slipped from under her. She didn't yelped, but her nails split as she clawed the branch, hanging upside down. A Behemoth's head was dangerously close to feeling her shortened hair. Boba was crushing his head between his hand, his entire body seizing up. Tanya wrapped herself to the branch, praying extremely loudly for the behemoth to move. When he marched on his way, Tanya swung herself back onto the branch. Her newfound rush of adrenaline lit a fire under her feet. Wasting no time, she pounced from one tree to the next, riding down a tree's trunk behind the courtyard's decorative statue. She slid as low to the ground as the fountain would cover her, minimizing her labored breath, biding time to prevent the guards from rousing suspicion. Moving too slow or too fast have dire consequences. With so much on the line, she can't afford to be hasty.

The route to the cathedral was all but clear. Guard numbers were slightly thinner. Tanya's heart immediately stopped as the voided sockets ghosted over her. The slitted nostrils widening, scouring for strange scents. She wasn't able to resist exhaling in relief when she went ignored. She began to wonder if swimming in the water helped mask her scent, or if something fouler was clinging to her skin. She'd rather not think about it. She found Boba still in position at the entrance. She smoothed her palm low, signaling him to utilize the low ground, and directed him to the statues and bushes.

Boba gave her a thumbs up, and stalked inside, following the wall behind a series of brush. The guards weren't at their thickest near his position, making his approach towards the fountain feasible. He contorted himself to fit behind the eerie statues, minding not to let his armor graze the sharper edges. Two behemoths neared his position, trudging aimlessly with no real directive. Boba dove into a gathering of bush, stalling briefly to assuage the noise he made. He forged on his stomach, using the slippery surface to expedite his travel. It was a bit of fun. He was making excellent progress. He could see the fountain figurehead ahead. Suddenly a crawler dropped from thin air in his path. Boba braced himself to a less than graceful halt, lying spread eagle with his head down. The Crawler's shallow, demonic breathing turned the hairs on his neck to ice. Drips of saliva burned into the icy ground. It's acidity eating away to the frozen grass beneath it. The fumes wafting from it churned Boba's stomach. The Crawler minced on its way. The talons on its hands and feet scraping along. Boba slowly started moving again, picking up speed as the Crawler whipped around at the grounding noises. He pulled himself up by a tree, plastering his back to the trunk with Tanya in view. The two exchanged nods, signaling they were ready for the final stretch. There was no more cover to the cathedral. The dash in their dash and go was their only option.

Boba tossed a flash bomb up and down in his hand, motioning his head at the wall by the frozen koi pond. Useless on the blind, but the sound it creates will do the trick. Tanya bobbed her head, lifting a spanning hand. Boba twisted his body, throwing the bomb. Naturally it fell short on the arch. Tanya thrust her palm, whisking the bomb another few feet past the idling guards. The shrill clang of metal meeting stone snapped every gaurds' head in waves. Boba activated the bomb, setting off a piercing flash. The guards howled animally, clamping hands over their ears. They stampeded for the explosion. Tanya and Boba dug in their feet and launched into a breakneck sprint. They jumped the flight of steps, easing into a crouching stop at the door. The Cyclians mauled one another to find the source of the explosion, tearing pieces of one another, and bashing each other's heads in. They won't stay distracted forever. Boba tested the knob, nodding to it being unlocked. Not knowing what lied on the otherside, Tanya volunteered to scale for a less direct approach. One of the mosaic windows was propped open. Boba twisted the knob, sneaking his way in. Tanya planted her hands and feet to a wall and pillar, scaling to a ledge and crawling inside the window.

 **xxx**

Boba closed the door with a hand planted at the edges, muffling the click. He turned to the breathtaking sanctuary. The aisle of red velvet carpeting, neighbored on either side by mahogany benches. The whole of the cathedral was ignited by glows of the numerous lit candles reflecting off chandeliers and crystal figurines. The shrine at the head of the church was in dedication to a multi headed god, overshadowed by the decorative window of twin winged beasts wielding axes. Whoever these deities are, they are immortalized by the Cyclian people.

The strom brewing for its umpteetn assault on the fortress jostled the restless cathedral. The moaning winds resounding as the disembodied voices of the victims never saved from this Hell. The monuments dedicated to past warriors were expressionless. The personification of petrification, even as they wield weapons they've used to vanquish their enemies. Boba stalked inside a few steps, hands spread for a swift counter should a few guards be worshiping their gods. Though with those monuments around, the distinctive sense he was being watched made his trigger finger unbearably itchy. His glance darted to the second level on the right, comfort flooding his firsty body. Tanya had snuck her way inside, creeping on all fours with her ears folded down. She used hand signal for Boba to keep moving forward. Hairs on back stood on end. There was a presence nearby. Her wiggling tail confirmed for Boba that someone was close by. The two moved in sync, piercing the dimly lit sanctuary with harsh glares. Strange muttering caught their ear. The words weren't discernable, but all prayers sounded the same.

Kneeling at a waterfall imbedded to the shrine was a man dressed in ornate robes. The typical gold and white to symbolize purity, and a dedication to the land beyond the stars. Not common on holy robes were the the red streaks running down the front, and down the back were black swirls. Their significance, while a curiosity, weren't important. The papal tiara was set off the side of him, the attached ribbons folded neatly inside the decorative head ornament. Patches of wiry white hairs draped lifelessly before his pruned features. Closed eyes withholding piercing grey irises, and the bowed head submitted the holy man to the will of the gods he prayed to. In his wrinkled hands were three skulls, each with a symbol for the ice, moon, and stars imbedded on the foreheads. He held those skulls over a hand drawn pentagram, jerking the skulls up and down to sprinkle their dust to center symbol. Unbeknownst to the devout man, Boba was tiptoeing on his heels, pistol held off side with the hammer drawn back. Tanya was nearing the end of the second level, slipping behind a tapestry. Boba easier his pistol, taking another step closer. _Crreeaak…_ The priest dropped the skulls, whipping around and drawing a dagger from his sleeve. Boba shot the dagger from his hand. It flipped through the air, impaling a figure in the forehead. The priest screamed in his obscure language, storming toward Boba with long fingers.

"Now, now, let's be civil." Tanya crooned mockingly. The priest stopped, raising his hands to shoulder height. He growled rabidly, baring his teeth at the sword touching his back. Boba quickly patted him down, finding no other weapons on his person. Tanya arched a brow to the discarded dagger. Boba's aim is as top notch as ever. "Isn't it a sin somewhere to wield weapons?"

"Tanya, you make calling you a hypocrite too easy." There's little fun in calling her own it. Tanya shrugged with an impish smirk. She has standards to maintain. "On your knees old man!" Tansy didn't wait, and she kicked the back of his knees in, forcing him down. He didn't appreciate it.

" _Mord tehv kaeh tyo waun uulay! Reesh nah-har vohjj meeg rahm?!_ " The priest roared, saliva spilling down his mouth.

"What the Hell type of language is that?" Tanya's head spun.

"Cyclian. Hold on…" Boba lowered the viewfinder, activating the separate devices alternate function. Boba, not so long ago, met a fellow Mandalorian with a unique talent for _unorthodox_ modifications. Viewfinders are generally glorified cameras. Boba's, on the other hand, can act as a translator. The priest repeatedly hollering at them gave the translator a baseline to begin translating. "Okay, he's demanding to know why we've desecrated a sacred place. And I believe he's called us...fornicators? NOPE! Foreigners!"

"Not really much of an insult." Tanya scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"It might be. This translator is for current languages, not dead ones." Boba shrugged.

Tanya moved in front of the priest, bending in close with hands on her hips. "Do you understand the common tongue?" She hissed.

" _BAHK COV GHEE!_ " He spat in her eye. She clenched her jaw, waiting for Boba to translate.

Boba cleared his throat, pretending to not see. "A very rude yes. I won't divulge what he called you."

"That's fine." It may save him from Tanya slitting his throat. She wiped her eye, swallowing her wounded pride. She showed the priest the holoprojector, materializing Markus Bonteri and his crew. Gleaming recognition in his eye was caught by Boba. "We're looking for this man and others we know were safeguarding Senator Kushi of the Confederacy of Independent Systems!" The priest shunned the image. Tanya dug her nails into his chin, wrenching his head forward. She shoved the images inches into his face. "Your people attacked and captured them! Where are they?!" The priest curled his lips in, resorting to silence in response.

"Silence. I hate silence." Boba groaned, sinking his shoulders.

"So do I." Tanya straightened up, exhaling irritably.

"Do you know any _tricks_ to get him talking?" He urged. Tanya tilted her confusedly. Boba waved his hand, humming mystically saying, _This is not the droid._

"You know I hate that trick! Besides, I never practiced it." Tanya finds mind tricks a bit on the cheating side. Weaseling inside the weaker minds of her captives, prying answers from their lips through mystic arts wasn't her style. "Although..." She flourished her hand, widening the eyes of the priest. The blue and white streams of dazzling electricity snaked her tauntingly wriggling fingers. She traced a finger in a mocking loop, entrancing the priest with the electrified ring. The priest gazed in utter disbelief upon the force of nature bending to her will. In her gleaming purple eyes the streams radiated. The lightning highlighted Boba's daunting helmet. Tanya spread her fingers in front of the priest's petrified face, savoring his attempt to wiggle away. "Now you will answer us! Or I can promise you the worst agony you will come to befriend." Her fangs protruded past her crazed smile.

The priest adamantly argued within himself, weighing the consequences should he speak or stay silent. Enduring the wrath of child barely old enough to be away from her mother? Or face the wrath of his Lord and Master. " _Tarik naseer mala vool harssh cah toff! PAH-HA! Iisla sonora froyt xjah baer!"_ His trembling shook his voice. He ran disgusted eyes over them both, snorting derisively. Tanya sighed disappointed.

"Tanya…?" Boba hummed.

"No matter the language, I know what _underestimating_ sounds like." She touched fingertips together, spreading her hands apart, wanting the priest to see the lightning dancing at her command. She moved her hands to either side of his head. He wrestled to escape those damning hands. Boba held him still by the shoulders, while Tanya slid between his thrash leg. Lightly her hands covered to his temples, fingers webbing to to most of his skull. His breathing quickened, eyes darting left to right as tingling vibrated to his brain. Muscles reflexively tensed in his shoulders to his hands. Uncomfortable fidgeting made it unbearable to sit still. His legs trembled, the anticipation of shock drawing harsh breaths through his gritting teeth. "Will you talk now?" His last chance.

He turned his head, locking defiant glares to the feline. His lips pursed, struggling to fend off his native tongue. "...N…Ne…ver…Jedi!" He gargled. Boba's entire body was petrified to stone. He dared not breathe, move, or so much as bat an eye. Tanya's cheeks stretching into a dark smile cast a net of darkness throughout the cathedral.

"Ooh, poor choice of words." Her purple eyes flared, shading to abyssal grey. Hundreds of volts surged into the priest's skull, spiraling to his spine and dispersing to every one of his limbs. He threw his head back. Lightning erupted with his shrill screams, blue and white flashes flickering in his eyes. Tanya moved in close, licking her lips as she snarled, "I'M-NO-JEDI!"

 **xxx**

' _JEDI...JEDI...'_ A gloved hand stopped inches from a shelved archive, fingers shying from the desired novel. Mace Windu's chocolate brown eyes blinked baffled, mouth hanging agape in sheer skepticism. He touched two fingers to his ear, conflicted about the voice teasing the drum. Breath not born from a passing gust tickled his outer ear.

"Tanya…?" He turned around, half expecting her to be standing behind him. No surprise the space behind him was empty, but the tear in his chest were the hopes she'd be there. Tanya has to be galaxies away, living in a sort of seclusion not considered by orthodox means. Knowing Tanya, she's likely using a sense of orthodoxy that will beg the unorthodox in others. It makes more sense to him. Either way, he can hear her voice as clear as if she was standing next to him. Sense her presence. Only for an instance, but it was intense.

A trick of the silence within the library's ancient walls, or perhaps more wishful thinking. Windu isn't sure if it's his mind or heart playing these tricks. Or if it was a trick at all. This isn't the first time he's heard her. And it isn't uncommon for a Jedi to be able to sense another Jedi from a great distance. Even if that distance is planets away. The bond between Jedi is a powerful force. When it comes to a Master and his Padawan - former or not - there is no stronger a bond. Especially when neither has forsaken that bond.

Windu pulled her discarded saber from his belt, lovingly caressing it with his thumb. The thought of her not having it by her side unnerved him. A Jedi without their lightsaber is doomed to perish. He knows Tanya is more than capable on her own. Regardless, the instinct to rush to her rescue was gripping.

"We're still waiting for you." He whispered, placing it back on his hip. "I'm still waiting for you."

 **To be continued**


	9. Sacrificial Lambs

**Sacrificial Lambs**

 _It is doing for others, than ourselves, that we find true bliss_

 **xxx**

' _I'm no Jedi..._ ' The hairs on the back of Windu's neck wouldn't relax. Half of dozen of those petrified follicles fell. Tanya's voice, wherever it may have come from, circled in his ear. Whispering to him, her breath on his ear. Windu is not opposed to considering his mind preying on his wish to see Tanya. To bury the hatchet and begin anew, and earn her allegiance to his side rather than strong arm her. An outcome he has accepted verging on the impossible. A bond as fragile as a frayed string, mere tugs from snapping, gradually being woven together with other strings, and evolving into steel wires that can never be severed. Not even by a lightsaber. Instead...they were cut clean through...by a recorded message handed over by General Grievous. Anger and pain impaled him, their toxins spreading through his veins. Being consumed by anger is not the Jedi way. The worst part is, the anger is not directed at Grievous. He won't delude himself by resting blame on one person.

"Disturbed, your mind is, Master Windu." Master Yoda coaxed Windu from his already derailing train of thought. The elder master, seated across from his student, at peace within his meditation, felt the vices crushing the Korun Master. The shell he's built for himself cracking under the self loathing pressure. "Anger, sorrow, guilt - strong within you, they are." He opened his eyes. Windu directed his gaze to the floor, too ashamed to meet his master's gaze. He's never been so transparent. "Concern for your student, natural it is to have."

"She is no longer my student, and I am no longer her master." Windu stated monotonously. The anguish he feels is ripe on his face.

"Convinced of this, are you?" Yoda voiced his skepticism.

"She abandoned her lightsaber, destroyed any means of contacting her, and it's falling on month six since she left!" Windu isn't sure how much more convincing these circumstances can be.

Yoda hummed consideringly, nodding at the evidence. "True. Gone to great lengths she has to isolate herself. Hiding away where we cannot find her while her turmoil subsides. A habit of Tanya Fett's." Windu rolled his eyes with a smirk, not wanting to insult him by mentioning the truth in that. "Many times has she run away. But ceased to be your student? Distance will not end that bond." Windu sighed irritably. He appreciates Yoda's wisdom, but his words were going in one pointed ear and out the other. Yoda raised a hand as Windu went to protest, then tapped a finger on his chest. "Sense Tanya, you do. Hear her voice, feel her presence - lost to you she is not. Nor are you to her."

"What do you mean?" Windu gasped, eyes widening. "Are you saying...Tanya hasn't given up on me?"

"Know this, I do not. But, ask you may I," Yoda planted his cane, leaning in close with an intense gaze, "Given up on Tanya, have you?"

Windu was at a loss for breath, rooted in place by the daunting question. Not really a question. A test. Windu wants to think he might have given up, considering he isn't trying to look for her. Then again, Tanya took off a lot of times when she was angry. Sometimes for an hour, a couple of times there was a day. Only once has Windu been forced to go after Tanya when she ran away, and it involved a long trip to Geonosis. Every other time since then he's allowed her to blow off steam...and she'd always come back.

"As Jedi...we are told not to hold attachments." Windu countered, casting his shield. Yoda sighed somberly, none too surprised Windu's sense of logic took control. "Tanya is no different. If she has left, she's left. I cannot hold on to what-"

" _Given up_ …" Yoda austerely interjected, denying Windu a chance to wiggle free from the corner, "On Tanya Fett...have you?" He asked for one final time. Either Windu answers openly and honestly, or their discussion ends.

"I…" Windu trailed off. His eyes shuffled side to side, a response jumbling around in his mind. A simple yes or no were beyond him. Has he given up up Tanya? Does he want her to return? Windu lowered his head, balling his hands into irresolute fists. "I don't know…" He murmured, closing his eye solemnly. Yoda permitted the response with great sympathy for his indecisive reluctance. Because, how Master Windu feels in regards to Tanya is the the same agony Yoda battles with regarding his lost padawan, Dooku.

 **xxx**

' _I don't know...'_ Tanya abruptly stopped mid stride on dirt covered steps. Half her body wrenched around, nearly twisting her spine from her hips. Her flashlight lit up a closed stone door, fear gripped orbs locked on the vacant crook. _MACE?!_ She panted heavily, mind running rampant with questions if she was going insane. Most likely. It's just like in the bathroom on the ship. Mace was talking to her, laughing at her. And then he was standing behind her. When she turned around, like now, no one was there. _I'm losing my mind?_ How many times can she hear her master - FORMER MASTER - before she considers prescribing for antipsychotics? _Why won't you leave me alone!?_

"Tanya? You okay?" Boba was at the foot of the dirt laden steps, held tilted to her with concern.

"That remains to be seen." She countered dismissively. _Again?_ She marched up the five steps, pressing her palms to the securely placed stone slab. She nudged the slab with all her strength, muffled thumps loosening dried soil and weeds. _What am I doing?_ She derided herself. There's no way he can be there. She shook her head, joining Boba at the bottom of the stairs. "Sorry. Let's go." They proceed down the narrow tunnel, stroking dangled dead roots from their path. _Even miles away you can't leave me alone._ She snarled mentally. All she ever wanted was for them to leave her alone.

For a man of the cloth, The Cyclian Priest was very tolerant of pain. Those of Glaciis are built of a particularly tough skin Boba and Tanya respect. Even so, sooner or later, that resilience faltered. The lightning penetrated his bones, ripping into the marrow and the pain became another world of excruciating. And the crypt below the cathedral housing Markus and his team was given up in a hailstorm of screams. Miraculously, none of the guards heard him scream with their amazing hearing. The windows certainly blistered with cracks. Tanya won't deny it. She liked hearing him screaming. She liked it...very...much. _So very much. HA-HA-HA!_

The crypt was hidden beneath a stone coffin in an out of the way room. Similar to a shrine, but more of a room for higher level of spiritual worship. Boba wished Tanya hadn't killed the priest. He would have been useful in moving the 100 ton coffin. It wasn't until after they nearly passed out from exhaustion and managed to move the coffin that they discovered the lever. One outside to open the path, and one inside to close it off. Note to themselves, keep a better eye out for levers and switches. Once the coffin sealed them in, Boba and Tanya felt the chill of being buried alive. And a sliver of claustrophobia. They need to grab Markus and get out of there while the getting is good.

True to form, the narrow passage to the crypt was rife with decay, and carried the pungent scent of rotting earth. Impressive still was the unyielding storm above has yet to penetrate to the lifeless roots dangling limply beneath its husk. Boba and Tanya were certain the planet was nothing but ice from the inside out. They've been wrong about environments before. And in spite of their decision to never visit this planet again, they ensured to update maps of the planet charted in haste. The steps they descended crumbled under their heels, tripping them up every five steps or so. Dirt would sprinkle on their heads, raising their heartbeats to astronomical heights. They've never told anyone, but both have an irrational fear of being buried alive. Ironic considering how often they are forced to go underground. The rats the size of small dogs did little to raise their spirits. The fork they reached had buried in right cavern riddled with serpent shaped holes. After the eels Tanya encountered, she'd rather not know what lurks inside those holes.

The further inside Boba and Tanya ventured, the closer together they wandered. The air was steadily thinning, meaning the surface was stretcher farther and farther from their grasp. Their eyes played tricks on them, moving the shadows and making them flinch each time a twig snapped or they kicked a rock. _Why am I so scared?_ The pair unintentionally pondered. Tanya placing a hand on Boba's shoulder and he grasping her tail fortified their self-security. _You're right here,_ they both muttered. _We're together! We're fine!_ They've been on a handful of missions before this one. But this one was having a severe psychological effect on them. Mina and Lux Bonteri are depending on them to return a loved one who is lost inside this cavern, and may very well be part of the rot that is infecting the declining space. And the crew. Their families are waiting as well. The...fear that...either Boab or Tanya may join them - though statistically and just purely improbable - frightened them. They had to rescue Markus and his crew. No matter the cost.

One final door lied in their path. Boba directed Tanya's attention to the recent fanning grooves in both the floor and ceiling. This was the right spot, and there's been a steady flow of traffic. Boba drew a pistol and Tanya a sword. Exchanging nods, the two grabbed hold of the handle and pulled. The door opened with frightening ease, a gust of of rushed them. Their eyes widened at the dish of blue fire flaring brilliantly in the center of the crypt, nestled to a pillar erected in a brick constructed pit. Age old weapons caked with cobwebs and dirt, vines and webs snaking their hilts and blades mounted to the wall. Stands miraculously yet to crumble under years of supporting heavy weaponry slumping in on themselves. Symbols were etched into the walls. Heads or tails weren't able to be made of their meaning, but their significance was in plain tongue. Though it's sincerely doubtful they explain the need for off world soldiers.

"TANYA!" Boba darted across the room. Tanya's heart sank and she trailed after him. Three ethereal blue glowing coffins were embedded to the farthest wall, charred black thorny vines curled around and holding the coffins shut. One the left and right side, crude drawings of lower Cyclain's were kneeling, their withered hands shaped to appear to be touching the coffins, worshipping them. Above the three coffins was a drawing of a higher Cyclian, arms spread open, welcoming the poor souls confined within the gem imbedded inside his sprawled open chest cavity. Boba and Tanya wiped away the thick dust on the brimming glass. Two men they recognized as the missing soldiers were unconscious inside. Fresh bruises and scars blemished their faces. Spirits only know what the rest of them looks like. Bugs managed to penetrate the coffins, eating away at their scalps and faces. Signs of infection were glaringly evident. In the middle was a middled aged man sporting a wildly grown full beard and mustache, and two diagonal scars running over his left eye. His dried lips were firmly closed, dirt and ice tracing the lines of his eyes. Boba and Tanya sank miserably, darting between the three in disbelief. They were too late? Markus and his team are...no! They couldn't be! Not after everything they and Mina went through to get this far. As they were about to accept defeat, to turn on their heels and leave in failure, shallow, raspy moans escaped all three men. Boba and Tanya plastered to their coffins, eyes wide, pleading that they weren't hearing things in the strained oxygen. The dried lips of all three men broke apart, dying breaths being forced from their pains chests. They were alive! They've been holding on! With some strange, twisted sense of resolve, they've held on long enough for someone - anyone - to come. Even if they wouldn't...they fought.

"Field Marshal Bonteri! Field Marshal Bonteri!" Tanya hammered a fist on the coffin. The field Marshal did not stir. Boba pounded at the other soldiers, screaming for one of them to wake up. After being trapped here for a month, they must have willed themselves to endure, forcing themselves into...a state of mental stasis. Being trapped in this box for a month, no one would blame them from cutting off ties to reality. "MARKUS! Can you hear me?! Your wife sent us! MINA!" Tanya yelled at the top of her lungs.

Mina's name rang within his frozen ears like an angelic bell. _Mi...na…_ Thumps of his irregularly beating heart warmed his veins, pumping revitalized life into his fading form. The abysmal plane in which her cast his mind vanished into a haze. His dried lips parted further, a strenuous breath filling his lungs. "Mina…" He whispered.

Tanya's ears perked up. "Yes, yes! Mina sent us!" She will scream her name as many times as it takes. Mina will bring Markus from his coma. Boba moved to witness Markus awakening, the other two soldiers barely coming around.

Markus's brow scrunched, eyes twitching. He groaned dazedly, fluttering his eyes opened. For a minute everything was cast into a blur. As the blur cleared, the crypt and his two visitors came into view. Their not being Cyclians awoke him fully, but their mysterious identities put him on guard. "Who...who are you?"

"That doesn't matter now!" Tanya moved her hands over the vines. They were wrapped tight. The thorns were holding them in place. Boba moved his hands studiously over the vines, looking for weak links to cut through. This could take a while.

"My...men. The mission...WHAT HAPPENED?!" Markus' weary mind was succumbing to overwhelming panic. The past few weeks he's been in captivity came rushing through his brain, memories colliding in a storm. He hyperventilated, smashing his palms to the glass in desperation to escape. The mission, his men, Mina - the hysteria pried incoherent muttering from his lips, driving him to insanity as tried to put the pieces together.

"Markus, I need you to focus!" Tanya scolded him. "Why did the Cyclians abduct you?! What happened?!"

"ABDUCT?! CYCLIANS?! YES...yes…" Markus mumbled, his heavy breathing managing to bring him to a more relaxed state of mind. Tanya could see the craze fresh in his eyes, but at the very least he was attempting to think straight. The Cyclians are the hosts he hadn't asked for. They're the ones keeping him there. These two people...are here to rescue him and his crew? Markus wasn't sure of anything. Only that these two are the only faces he's seen in weeks with real eyes. "They...they said...we were perfect offerings." He pressed a palm to his ravaged skull, squeezing his eyes closed to flush the memories out. They've replayed in his mind nonstop, clear as the day they happened, and suddenly they were cast in a cloud. "Our duty to our sovereign leader - he must have meant Kushi - was to be admired and immortalized. Then...we were...THE SHIP! KUSHI!" He cried.

"Senator Kushi and his detail are safe! They made it off the planet are safe and sound!" This quieted Markus. His head was splitting in two. "What happened to you?!" She stressed again. If they are going to escape, Markus and his crew need to be mentally prepared. Boba looking for a way to cut through the vines was giving her a minimal amount of time.

"They attacked us! We fought! Too many of them! They wouldn't die! They just...respawn!" Scrambled though he was, his tale was in a certain order coherent to decipher. It lined up with previous testimonies. But the Cyclians being able to respawn was neglected. Is something like that possible? "Captured us all, took us to a prison and starved us! Gave us no water, and left us naked in those cells." Boba saw that for himself. A method of torture to weaken their future victims, discourage any attempt to seek escape. "Every night I'd hear the guards talking! I couldn't understand them! That's when one of them came and said... _we'd make the moon whole again_."

Boba and Tanya arched baffled brows. "What does that have to do with the ritual?"

"I don't know! I don't know what these people want with us! But it has to do with the new moon!" Which was coming in another day or two.

"Can you bear not knowing?" A dumb question, but her attempt to wake Markus up with humor. He growled in a frenzy. "Glad to hear it! Let's get you out of here!" She backed away, drawing both her swords. Boba was able to awaken Markus's team mates. He nodded to Tanya, drawing his blasters. The trio of soldiers braced themselves for Boba and Tanya's strikes. She twisted back, and he drew back the hammers.

Talons sprouted and latched at their ankles. Boba and Tanya cried out. "RUN!" One of the other soldiers screamed. But it was too late.

The hardened soil ruptured, Crawler Cyclians shrieking as they emerged from the rotted soil. Boba panicked and squeezed the trigger four times, blowing holes in the heads of the two Crawlers on him. He staggered and kicked the dead talons off him, falling against the torch pit. Tanya stabbed frantically at the two Crawlers climbed up her body, trying to drag her down. Boba aimed for their skulls. From above another set of talons dug away the dirt and weeds, and another Crawler lunged and tackled Boba to the ground. His blasters bounced out of his grip, far out of reach. His helmet was knocked off, freeing his face to be swiped at. Barely was he able to evade being cut. He thrust a knee to the revealing ribcage, white hot pain rupturing in his knee cap. Little to no muscles around those ribs and it was like hitting solid steel. "TANYA!" He cried. The Crawlers poured their deceiving weight onto his head, torso, waist and legs. He couldn't move.

"BOBA!" Tanya wrestled with the Crawlers, slicing off an arm or two, and nicking veins at the neck. Whatever was severed simply grew back in seconds, two times stronger than the previous limb. The cuts at the neck and shoulders zipped closed, reinforced by a layer of skin similar to armor. This is what Markus meant about them respawning. The Cyclians are capable of regeneration. The back of Tanya knees were kicked in. A third Crawler snuck up behind her, pushing her onto her stomach, and pinning her firmly to the ground. "DAMMIT!" She frothed at the mouth, her swords ripped out of her grasp. She's been dog piled by three clone troopers, and not even they felt this heavy.

The Crawlers hissed close to their faces, venomous dripping saliva narrowly missing their flesh. Boba and Tanya snarled in reluctant defeat, relaxing their bodies and opening their palms to show their surrender. And to think Tanya sneered at perfecting the repulse. She could send these Crawlers crashing into the walls with one push. Their pride gnarled heinously, burning into the cold dirt they were smashed upon. The Crawlers gargled to one another, gesturing roughly at Boba, Tanya, and the trapped soldiers, and then to the pathway they entered from. Each movement dug the razor edges of their talons into their limbs. Boba's armor shielded him, but Tanya would have a few extra scars. The pair were dragged to their feet, tossed over a Crawler's shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Their struggles against their iron hold was met in vain. The pair gaped in dismay as the vines were cut from Markus and his crew's coffins. Their weakened forms hit the ground with a loud and painful _THUD_. Wounds improperly healed opened again, searing their paled skin in white hot pain. The Crawlers dragged them onto their shoulders, trudging on one exaggerated step after the other, thrusting their boney shoulders into their stomachs.

"This is not going like I'd hoped." Tanya rumbled.

"Really? Because I saw us getting captured from a mile away." Boba pouted, folding his arms. Tanya would comment on how he didn't see Crawlers coming from the ceiling and floor, but now didn't seem like the best time. The Crawlers snapped talons for the door and moseyed along. A couple hissed murderously at Boba and Tanya, abject rage evident in their… _eyes._ "I don't think they appreciate you killing the priest." He sardonically commented. He grunted at the money shoulder bouncing into his stomach.

"Ah, they can anoint another one!" She shooed off, pouting with folded arms. _Not like they don't have a box of these guys!_

 **xxx**

A figure knelt before the cathedral altar, the chainmail of the tunic clattering, and the leather stretching. The ornate robes fitting the muscled figure glistened in the firelight, highlighting the twin short hilted axes strapped to the back. An icy blue hand was placed atop the back of the deceased priest, stroking woefully up and down. Closed eyes and a bowed head wished the passed on holy man a safe passage to paradise, willing him to find the peace he did not have during his tenure in life. It is the least the gods can offer for such a devoted man of the cloth. A slam from a distance interrupted his morning, flaring his jet black eyes open in rage. Brazen demands to be released, and belligerent profanities screeched in barrages. No matter. Let these insects scream as loudly as they wish. The actions they have taken during such an important time on Glaciis will be met with consequences equitable to their desecrations, and the pain they shall endure will restore honor for the generations of their kind to come.

The group of crawlers lugged the prisoners before the alter. Two of whom were wrestling futilely to free themselves. Off Worlders need to learn graceful acceptance when they have been defeated. Screaming like children is most unbecoming. The five were lifted off the Crawlers, forced harshly to their knees before the altar, and the towering man standing there. The confiscated weapons were thrown at his feet. Boba and Tanya lifted their heads, glaring defiantly of the Cyclian sneering down at them. They recognized him from the projection during their mission debriefing. Lord Yahkon Jakuub - Master of Glaciis, King of all Cyclians, and the man who will be serving as judge, jury, and executioner. The holo-image didn't do him justice. He's far uglier in person, and just as terrifying. His presence exceeded that of his wandering underlings. The commanding aura pouring from him was daunting, strangling the resistance from both Tanya and Boba. And yet, in spite of how frightening the man is, the two hunters had to admit...they were trembling with excitement. This mission just got fun for them, but not for Markus and his fellow soldiers. Afflicted by the trauma of their capture, the trio quivered in pure terror of the man, gluing petrified gazes to ground for fear of their souls being sucked straight out of them. After what they've gone through, that might not be an impossibility.

A Crawler minced its way to his Lord's side, pleading his ear as he informed Yahkon of the current situation. He didn't nod or respond in any matter that would indicate his displeasure or interest in what transpired. He merely allowed the Crawler to finish, and then cast a berating leer over his captives. The humans he has hosted these past weeks were of little interest to him. Fleshy, quivering sacks of bone and muscles filled with more organs than necessary little more than appetizers for what he has planned. Their twitching and constant moaning disgusted him. Their cowardice brought about revulsion crawling to his frozen flesh, nagging at the desire to gouge out their disrespectfully low gaze. The two young ones beside the quaking soldiers, on the other hand, morbidly intrigued him. Incredibly young judging by their features, and yet armed to the teeth with weapons he's scarcely seen before. He studied the pistol, savoring the charred taste and smells coming from the barrel, almost tempted to squeeze the tiny tab. With the sword he traced his thumb along the razor edge, impassive to the thin line of blood her drew. It is because of these unique weapons, in spite of his skepticism, he drew a conclusion as to the ones responsible for the death of his priest.

"Are you the ones responsible for this?" Yahkon's accented English took Boab and Tanya by surprise. He motioned a hand to his deceased priest, staring directly into their eyes for the truth. Should they choose to lie, his other hand was prepared to exact a swift execution.

"Told ya." Boba whispered accusingly.

Tanya sneered at him. She refuses to feel And what if we are?" She guffawed boldly.

Yahkon swatted her with the back of his palm, knocking her to the ground. Boba lunged to be at her side, only to have a Crawler smash his head to the carpet. A gash tore in Tanya's cheek. Yahkon's hand was like a blunt blade. She spat up a bit of blood, growled heatedly. "Do not presume to take that tone with me, blasphemer! You know not what you have delayed!" Blasphemer. Like she's never heard that one before. He dragged Boba to his feet by a fistful of his hair, shaking him violently before Tanya. "Did you really think two children would be able to save these men?! YOU JEST!" Markus flinched. Yahkon threw Boba onto her, spitting on their affronting assault. "WE LAID WASTE TO THEIR FORCES, THEIR ELITE GUARD, AND HAVE HELD THEM FOR WEEKS! And yet you sought to free them in hours? SUCH ARROGANCE!" He snapped his fingers. Two behemoths came trudging to the altar, picking up the priest's corpse and carrying him off to be laid to rest. "All your infiltration has done is set us back minor minutes! But it will not change their fate!" He stormed to the soldier on Markus's right, slamming a foot on his head and pinning him to the floor. "In mere days our new moon will be present. And when it is, the blood of these outsiders will aide it to become whole again!" He swept a palm to a depiction of the moon's cycles. In a cycle on other planets, the moon goes from full to pitch black through the month. But on Glaciis, the new moon is in fact a ring in the sky. By the laws of their ritual, the moon's cycle will be continued with the sacrifice of Markus and his crew. "And as the moon regenerates what it has lost, it will sustain our people for the centuries to come."

"Centuries?! How old are you people?" Boba barked.

"Old enough to know that many like you have come for those we have claimed," He left the soldier, chuckling ominously as he towered over Boba, "And every one of them have perished in their efforts. Although," He clamped a hand to Tanya's neck, wrenching her forward, "Fortuitously, and completely unexpected, a being of that mysterious phenomena known as _The Force_ lies before me." Figures even he knows of Force Sensitive beings. "Your blood we will savor as we watch the light leave your eyes."

Tanya's eyes glowered boredly. Another threat to end her life. "You...kill me?" That's...that's a good one. Tanya knew it was inappropriate, but she couldn't stop herself from howling with laughter. Yahkon exchanged incredulous stares with his Crawlers, earning baffled shrugs. Markus and his men gaped gobsmacked at her crazed laughter, scared beyond comprehension that one of their saviors had lost her mind. Boba ignored her laughing, smirking to the side as he worked for a special surprise hidden in his suit. "You should hear yourself! You sound like the other dozen who have tried to kill me!" She hooted wildly. How many have really said they'd kill her and are too inept to do it? It started with Kashjeen and ended with...whoever she and Boba have come across.

"You dare mock me, you miserable wench!" He crushed her throat, choking her manic laughter, then her face first into the floor. He will take great pleasure in killing her.

Tanya's laughter gradually subsided as she pushed up on her forearm. Her raised hand beckoned Yahkon spare her his wrath for a moment for her to catch her breath. "You must forgive me, Your Majesty…" He forked tongue lathered her lips. Boba watched her hand snake to her boot, and he shifted onto a knee. "But I'm afraid I don't plan on dying HERE!" She charged forward. Yahkon weaved back, reaching behind his back for his axe. Tanya sliced her knife clean across his neck, blue blood spraying to her face. Yahkon choked on starved air, grasping desperately at the profusely spilling blood. Tanya and Boba hardened a stare at the wound. What they witnessed in the crypt the wound began to heal itself. "NOW!" She covered her ears.

"Cover your ears!" He warned Markus and the others. Boba pulled a slender microphone shaped device from his armor. At the push of a button, a piercing screech blared from the device. Yahkon and his guards clamped hands over their ears, screaming in utter agony of the sound. While annoying to others, it tortures those of superior hearing. Such as Cyclians without eyes. "Bet you're regretting taking their eyes now!" He mocked.

The sound was agonizing to Tanya as well, but she pushed through it. She lifted Markus by the bicep, dragging him to his feet. "CAN YOU WALK?!" She screamed over the noise. Thousands of bugs sounded like they were burrowing in her ear.

Markus looked to his men who nodded questionably. "We think so!" He breathed. The room was spinning too much for him to really say for sure.

"THEN YOU CAN RUN! STAY BETWEEN US!" She ordered. She tapped Boba on the shoulder, signaling that it was time to go. He nodded firmly, dropping the mic to the floor, taking the lead of the escape. He shoved his helmet back on, waiting for the go ahead. Tanya heatedly furrowed her brow at howling beings. The cries of Yahkon and the Crawlers coupled with the shrieking device was numbing to the ear. The Cyclians were writhing in pure agony, tearing into their scalps. Tanya nodded to him. Time to go.

"THIS WAY!" Boba sprinted for the front door. He shot three Crawlers dead center in their heads. Markus and his men were amazed by how easily they dropped to the ground. One of the men stumbled in his run, fearing the Crawlers would rise again to kill them. "MOVE IT!" Boba barked, holding the door open. Markus moved the frightened man along, willing him to not stop. Not when...escape may be in their grasp. If not...they would not die frozen in pure terror.

"BOBA, LOOK OUT!" Tanya threw her sword like a javelin. Boba ducked to the floor. The sword pierced the chest of a behemoth towering behind him. The Behemoth roared angrily, ripping the sword from his chest. The wound was beginning to close, then Boba shot him in the head, ending the threat and his life. It became clear that the Cyclians are versed in regeneration. Their bodies are able to heal almost instantly after a critical wound is dealt. The head is the key to ending their onslaught. Robbing the body of the one organ truly allowing them to remain animated. This would be tricky. "LEAD THE WAY LITTLE BROTHER!" Tanya encouraged.

"Stay behind me!" Boba charged his pistols to full power, growling daringly at the approaching horde of guards thirsting to crush their skulls. The piercing screech tearing Yahkon and the others apart reached the courtyard, but merely captured their attention. To Boba's regret. The dozens of Cyclians they worked to avoid were drawn like moths to a hypnotizing flame. Morbid curiosity likely the cause behind their approach. Boba took out a thermal grenade. He glanced at the entrance to the courtyard, mapping out the most direct route. He tossed the grenade into the crowd, and a fiery blast blew a gap in the horde. "NOW!" Boba ran at top speed into the gap, shooting for the heads of any Cyclian coming within two feet of them. Tanya maintained the rear, her sword extended to the sides.

 **xxx**

An axe chopped the device, smashing it into hundreds of little pieces. The instant silence was raided by an incessant ringing in Yahkon and the Crawler's ears. Humiliation at being handicapped by children and their insignificant device boiled his frozen veins. They will not leave his planet alive. He slammed his foot, rising to his feet, growling animally with balled fists. His Crawler's ceased their inane whining, shaking off the ringing in their ears. "AFTER THEM! BRING WRITHING IN AGONY TO MY FEET!" He boomed. He will relish killing them himself.

 **xxx**

Boba and Tanya drove Markus and the two soldiers into a breakneck sprint, snarling every time they slowed down or tripped to get up, and run faster. Boba led Tanya and the other in the direction he came from, assuring them the ship was waiting for them. The time for stealth was far behind them. Waves of shrill roars and shrieks lapped across the fortress, rumbling resembling stampeding thunder reverberated the icy walls. The entire fortress was up in arms, scouring fiercely, clawing in madness to find those who attacked their lord. They sounded so close, yet so far away. Tanya watched their flank, her nerves growing increasingly more agitated as the obscure garglings touched her ear. Boba shot one or two Behemoths or Crawlers that meandered at poor timing into their path, but their position was gradually revealing itself to the others. Reaching the infirmary wing will be the mark of their escape. Once there, the dungeons are a hop, then the ship is a skip and a jump away. The gargling on the other side of walls almost sent one of the soldiers into a panic and cause him to freeze. Markus and the other wouldn't let him stop. They carried him until he found strength in his legs.

"We're almost there! Just keep running!" Boba encouraged. The corridors and turns he took were engraved in his head. He'd give a quick glimpse to certain spots, attempting to recognize the hallways as insurance. He knows they're on the right track.

"Are we sure following a boy is wise?" The blond haired soldier whimpered. Boba grunted under his breath.

"This boy came in from our only exit!" Tanya hissed. A commonality for Boba is his curse of a youthful face. Tanya is feared on sight because of her feral feline features. Boba is often underestimated because of how adorable he looks. But it's only skin deep. Inside him is a lean, mean, very destructive machine. "And, just so you know," Tanya ran alongside the skeptical soldier, narrowing slit pupils to the hyperventilating soldier, "The two of us have decades of field experience compared to you military academy types! Don't diss the hands that are saving your sorry ass!" He gulped hard, nodding wordlessly. "Good boy!"

"SHH!" Boba closed a hand, stooping to a knee at a corner. Markus, his men, and Tanya followed suit, falling silent on the spot. Boba poked his head around the corner, cursing in his and Tanya's made up language. "Just our luck!" At the end of the next corridor, two Behemoths were guarding the door that'll lead to the infirmary and dungeons with four Crawlers sniffing around. "That's our exit!" He reloaded, spinning the chamber in both pistols. "Tanya, you get that upgrade to your swords?"

She chuckled darkly, unsheathing both and runnin her tongue along an edge. "Haven't been field tested yet."

"No time like the present!"

Tanya dug in her feet and darted with incredible speed, drifting on a slide to the sharp turn. Boba charged in right on her tail. The Crawlers and Behemoths grunted at the grinding of metal and ice, rampant footsteps enclosing. Two Crawlers hooked their talons to the ground, vaulting their taut forms into a four limb sprint. Tanya stomped her feet on an abrupt stop and slashed both her swords out. The Crawlers could hear the blades cutting the air, attempting a narrow evasion off to the sides. The sweeping blades sliced into thin veins, running toward the nook of the collar, pure blue liquid exploding. Boba ran up and flipped over Tanya, his feet fluttering through the air. One shot from each pistol buried a laser bolt through the side of the Crawlers' skulls, dropping their emaciated forms like puppets without strings. Boba landed in a crouch, impassive to the next two Crawlers lunging for him. The jingling of chains made him smirk. And just as The Crawlers were about to tackle him, Tanya's sword plunged into their chests. They screeched in pain, grasping at the blades. Laser bolts pierced their skulls, putting them out of their misery. As their bodies fell, the chains at the ends of the hilts wrenched the swords free of the chest cavities and back into Tanya's grasp. She licked up the blood, lavishing in the taste of anguish. She loves her new upgrade. The remained Behemoth moved to join the fray, roaring in war. Tanya and Boba charged in unison, running up the walls. Sword and pistol pierced the skulls of a Behemoth opposite them. Springing as high as they could, flipping to opposite sides, Boba finished the sword impaled Behemoth with a shot in the chest, and Tanya swung her blade across the shot Behemoth's neck. On their landing, Tanya retrieving both swords, the Behemoths collapsed at their touching down feet, boba blowing steam off his hot pistols.

Markus and his men were struck with awe, unable to blink in the idea what they witnessed was an illusion. As the pair rose, they bumped fists at a job well done. "We certainly didn't learn this in school!" The red haired soldier guffawed, tapping the dead guards with his toes.

"The best classroom is the universe." Boba dusted off his armor. "And the universe has tried to kill us at every turn." They have the scars to prove it.

"Let's not give it the chance to improve!" Tanya stressed, holding the door open. Boba shoved Markus and his men inside. A foreboding chill scaled Tanya's spine. Yahkon was coming, and by the feel of things he wasn't happy. Tanya closed the door behind her. Curling her fingers closed, she crossed her hands at the wrist and wrenched them back. Two pillars on either side of the door toppled before the door. "That should buy us some time." She hoped, and raced after the others.

 **xxx**

The trail of carnage staining the corridor were the perfect breadcrumbs for Yahkon to find his quarry. Unfortunate that one of them have barred the door, forestalling their inevitable death by mere seconds. "In the end, I can only count on myself…" He stepped into the other direction, licking his lips with delicious punishments he will inflict.

 **xxx**

The infirmary was a beacon to Boba. They were nearing the end. Entering the prison area, Boba subconsciously began to search for the man who he spoke with earlier. He was gripped with terror finding he had slashed his wrists, perishing amongst the other corpses in his cell. Boba mourned him for a minute, wishing he didn't have to die in such horrid conditions, then cast the man aside. Some people suffer a worse fate.

Though it didn't seem possible, the blizzard had intensified. Ice shards pelting the cliffside, ripping gashes in the solid rock, chipping away at the weakening bedrock. Markus and the other two soldiers were captured in hysterical awe of the fresh air and snow, unable to mentally grasp that they were feeling the outside on their skin. Tanya and Boba had to shake them out of their trance, remind them that they weren't out of the woods quite yet.

The ship awaited them at the bottom of the zig-zagging slope. The whirs of the stalling engine filled Markus and his men with such glee that their tears were freezing on the frigid wind. They're going home! They're finally going home! Their families, loved ones, and the hot beverages were all a lengthy ship ride away. Unable to restrain themselves, Markus and his men shoved on through, throwing Tanya and Boba face first into the snow. They spat it up, grunting heatedly at the scrambling trio. Their crazed hooting and hollering about freedom terrified the animals living in the walls, but will undoubtedly lead other Cyclians lurking to their position. Markus and his men were already nearing the bottom. The rush of adrenaline can imbue anyone with newfound speed and strength. Boba and Tanya picked themselves up, leaping to the next slopes in order to reach them. They landed just behind the sprinting men, absolutely baffled by why they had stopped in their tracks. And then they saw him. Battle axes unsheathed, and a fury burning so hot it was melting the ice covering his palace. Yahkon had found them.

"How the Hell did he beat us here?!" Boba snarled.

"He knows this fortress like the back of his hand." Tanya tensed.

Yahkon chuckled at the fear radiating from his prey. He opened his palm to them, "I graciously accept the return of my prisoners. You two may leave without further incident." He demanded, projecting an ultimatum. Markus spread his arms before his men. Tanya and Boba moved protectively in their path, pistol and sword forbidding Yahkon's icy fingers from encroaching closer. "Oh no? Good!" He flourished his axes from their holsters, walking for the little lambs. "I was concerned this wouldn't be entertaining."

"Enough of this!" Tanya declared. She flared her fingers, streams snaking her palm, closed her hand and lifted. Yahkon was ripped off the ground, gagging on his constricted neck, prying at the invisible noose strangling him.

 **xxx**

In the temple briefing room, Windu was listening to Plo Koon's plan for invading a planet known as Zim when he felt a sharp twinge in his chest. He placed a hand at his neck, feeling intense pressure there. _Tanya?_

 **xxx**

Markus and the two men gasped audibly in utter shock, muttering in disbelief at how this was possible. Yahkon was suspended high in the air, the life being strangled out of him, and nothing was visibly crushing his neck. That's when their eyes slipped onto Tanya extended, curling hand. The tighter she squeezed, the more Yahkon's eyes seemed to pop from their sockets. It wasn't possible. Not this far on the other side of the rim. But with their own eyes they are seeing it. Yahkon even called her one. She's using...the force. _A Jedi?_ The trio thought.

Boba was stunned his neck hadn't snapped yet, and began to panic as Yahkon was slowly drifting for the ground. He gasped in dismay of Tanya stooping to a knee, and her extended arm falling. The freezing air was affecting her worse than he originally thought. Looking at her flushed cheeks and bloodshot eyes, she appeared sick. Not to mention the wound she was cradling in her side was severely weakening her. Boba completely missed it with everything that had happened. A swollen gash was bleeding just beneath the ribs. She must have gotten it when they were ambushed. She wasn't able to finish her break. The strain was too much to bear. She settled for a last ditch effort and pushed Yahkon for the edge. He staked his axes, tearing the ground asunder as he slid to a halt with his feet over the abyssal edge.

"Tanya!" Boba placed a hand at her back, helping her to not hit the ground. "Are you alright?!" She spat blood at the ground, confirming she felt fine. Boba tapped on his wrist device, entering a code. From the soup of fog their ship emerged. Thankfully the harsh weather hadn't clung too badly to the ship. "GET INTO THE SHIP!" He roared. The autopilot brought the ship in close. Markus nodded to his men, helping them on board. He held the door, waiting for the Mandalorian...and the Jedi. "Can you fight?!" Boba asked.

"What a question!" Tanya jerked herself to her feet, both swords at the ready. Boba snorted under his breath. He should have known better.

"Remarkable, Young Jedi." Yahkon cackled, trudging toward the pair. "You will be a worthy sacrifice."

"For that last time…" Lightning surged to her swords. The glow of Yahkon's eyes intensified, "I-AM NOT-A-JEDI!" Those words carried to Windu on Coruscant, increasing the already painful sadness in his heart. She charged in a fury, gusting up a trail of snow. Her first strike was effectively blocked with no effort by Yahkon's axe. Her pupils were narrowed to demonic slits. He sneered mockingly at her pitiful attack. Is this all a Jedi has to offer him? There was a shift at the corner of his eye. Pressing his axe to the sword he duck second before a laser bolt shrieked past. He twisted back, sweeping a foot along the ground. Boba's feet were wrenched from under him, dropping him with a painful thud. Yahkon came around full circle, yanking Tanya's sword off to the side, then brought his second axe down for her head. Tanya leapt backwards, the axe cutting into an ice block. A thin thread of blood trickled from a fresh graze in her cheek. Yahkon whirled himself around again, bring both axes down for Boba's neck. He rolled out of the way, the breeze touching him as the axes met the ground petrified him. Boba pushed onto his feet, panting heavily. He's faster and more nimble than he appears.

"You two cannot possibly hope to match me." Yahkon mocked, blowing ice off his blades. "I possess skills and strength you cannot possibly comprehend."

"You overestimate yourself, Lord Yahkon!" Boba barked. He aimed his guns. "You're nothing compared to us!"

"Have at thee, Child! Prove it!" He effortlessly weaved to the sides. Boba's relentless pistol fire was a means to dance for Yahkon. He pranced his feet, maneuvered his shoulders, bobbed his head - all the while he never budged an inch from his spot. Blows he permitted to hit healed almost as instantly as they happened. The shots only to miss entirely were ones darting for his skull. An amusement he's not had in quite some centuries. He wished to prolong this entertainment. Unfortunately for him, Boba and Tanya are on a clock. "Is that all you are capable of, boy?" Rapidly approaching footsteps caught Yahkon's ear. He smirked, allowing them to get closer, then he whipped around, swing his axes with incredible strength, only the cut away at the thin air. "What?!" Legs wrapped at his neck. "NO!" Tanya threw herself back, pouring as much of her weight as she could. Yahkon inadvertently bent with her. Her hands touched the ground, she curled in her stomach, the Lord Cyclian was bending. Tanya jabbed her elbows, crippling the backs of his knees. Yahkon's feet finally left the floor and he was flipped over, slammed face first to his stomach. Tanya regretted her action, pain rippling up her side, but backflipped behind the downed Yahkon all the same. "YOU WRETCHED-" Three blaring metal balls rolled in close proximity of him, their beeps growing faster. He pushed on his hands, darting in any given direction. The beeping stopped, but the result was a powerful eruption of smoke. Yahkon coughed as the wind blew it in his face, fanning it away. Boba lunged into the smoke, driving a high flying kick into his chest. Yahkon was staggering back, fighting to keep his stance. Boba came from nowhere once more, connecting kicks and punches, driving the disoriented Yahkon further and further back. "ENOUGH OF THIS!" Yahkon latched a hand to Boba's neck, throwing the boy at the wall. Loose rocks fell around him, a smaller one bounced off his head. "You think I'll let you break into my home, abduct my prisoners, and then proceed to insult me so easily?! YOU JEST!" He will not let children get the better of him! "The ritual will not wait! Once you are recaptured, I will gut you myself, and sacrifice you to our moon!" He reached for Boba. "YOUR BLOOD WILL SUSTAIN ME FOR CENTURIES!"

Tanya slashed both swords up. Yahkon gaped in utter dismay, his arm flying over his head. Tanya slashed her sword across his eyes. Yahkon wailed in agony, stumbling backwards while holding his eyes. Tanya thrust her palms. Yahkon dug in his feet, resisting the pulse pushing him back, unaware of the cliff edge at his heels. Tanya helped Boba to his feet, sensing the end of this battle approaching. "Get on the ship! We're leaving!" She ordered.

"On it!" Boba urged Markus on board, then climbed into the driver's seat. He diverted the power to the engines, ready to take off the second Tanya was on board. "TANYA! END THIS!" Boba roared. She smirked. Yahkon's eyes healed, and he growled animally at the feline. He was baffled when she sheathed her swords, then became frightening aware of the state of the ground as she kneeled. Cracks seeping deep within were left from those charges, and grooves from his axes were scattered about. And then he noticed how close to the edge he was.

"As my brother said, Lord Yahkon," Tanya planted her palm to the ice and sent pulses pounding beneath the ice, "YOU'RE NOTHING COMPARED TO US!" Cracks webbed and ruptured the fragile ground, the ledge Yahkon was trapped upon starting to slant.

"NOO!" Yahkon lunged for her. Tanya flicked her wrist. A sickening snap of his leg followed by Yahkon's agonized screams brought a smile to her face. Tanya sent a couple more pulses shooting into the ground, the cracks snaking under Yahkon. "YOU THINK THIS WILL KILL ME?!" He roared as she raced for the ship. "I will survive! I will rebuild what you have destroyed! And when I have…" The ship's door closed. Boba began to pull away, soaring into the storm, "I WILL HUNT YOU BOTH DOWN, AND FEAST ON YOUR BLOOD…" The roar of the engine jostled the weakening cliff, breaking it away, and sending Yahkon plummeting into the abyss with massive rocks falling with him.

Boba and Tanya released breaths of relief, grinning in congratulations of their glorious win. Taking a look at the rabble on their ship, it was fascinating to watch the reality of their rescue sink in. Their blank stares as they pat their hands to the ship, felt their bodies warm from the outside in, and as Glaciis began to shrink in the lengthening distance. It didn't seem real to them. An unyielding fear that something will jolt them awake and put them back in their prisons clawed into them. As Glaciis vanished in the abyss of space, and after several painful pinches to one another, tears and whimpers of unbridled joy flooded the ship. They were going home. They were really going home.

 **xxx**

Several days passed, the longest any of Markus or his men had endured in quite some time. They thought the road to Raxus would never end. That they will drift in space for eons, or Yahkon would find a way to come after them and capture them again. It was not so. The beautiful planet of Raxus appeared, a beacon of godly light in a stagnant darkness. The shock of it all sent the trio reeling, making them faint. Also, Tanya sort of slipped them a little sedative in their tea an hour before they arrived.

Boba sent an encrypted message to the senate and Mina Bonteri of Markus and the two soldiers' return, and that they would be at a memorial hospital receiving treatment for their horrifying experience. On both sides the message was treated as a joke. That it wasn't possible that any of these men had returned. The families of the two soldiers were also contacted. Their skepticism wasn't even touched or entertained for the briefest of seconds. They were already on their way to the hospital, every fiber praying their loved ones were alright. The senate was in an uproar over the legitimacy of this claim. That it could very well be a trap by an enemy, or a prank by those who seek to torture the delegates. Mina and Kushi, wishing to confirm for themselves, were the first to arrive at the hospital the men were reportedly checked into. Their mind nearly imploded to a purgatory like plan. Markus and the soldiers were lying in individual ICU rooms, life support hooked up to the hypothermic forms, healthy and on the mend.

Mina and Kushi could hardly believe it. It didn't seem real. Lux and the families of the two soldiers didn't care about real or illusions. They ambushed the three men, showering them with joyous tears, pleading weeps for them to never scare them again, and the occasional curse for scaring them. Their loved one were back. Looking worse for wear, but they were back safe and sound. They were never going to be let go again. While Mina and Kushi are glad Markus and the men were returned alive, they had to know how this was possible. The Doctors stated that they received a code three in their landing lot, and their team arrived to find all three men on gurneys, waiting to be wheeled inside. Each had a tablet containing gorey detail of the wounds and traumas they sustained the moment they were captured on Glaciis. Prolonged periods of dehydrations, obvious bruises and abrasions, frostbite and hypothermia, and possible fractures here and there. Miraculously, none of their injuries were life threatening. The proper treatments suggested for aiding these men in their recovery were also provided. After much, and rather rapid, deliberation, Doctors and Nurses agreed on the treatments and began right away. After a week or two of recovery, and several psych evaluations, Markus and the two soldiers will be cleared to return to duty. Or retire and re-evaluate their life choices. But, rest assured, all three men were receiving the best treatment possible, and will return home in no time.

Kushi ruled it as a mere miracle these men were returned to them. Guilt was shredding him to tatters for the weeks they were captured, cursing himself for being too helpless and incompetent to save them. Soldiers or not, they were assigned to protect him and were in his charge. While they may be trained to protect their superiors, the least Kushi could have done was petition to have them released. Mina reassured him that, by looking at Markus and the other two, reason does not reach the people of Glaciis unless it involves bloodshed. Along with the soldiers, Kushi would be amongst the captured, or most likely dead. Kushi thanked her for her words, and congratulated her on her good fortune. He excused himself to deliver this news to the senate. Mina would join him later after she's visited with her husband.

"Guess we were able to do the impossible after all." Mina abruptly turned, elation gleaming as she saw her two hired hunters standing in the hallway. "Though we'd appreciate it if you guys take better care of your men." Tanya teased, winking at her.

Naturally, Mina noted they were in security camera blind spots, but approached them all the same. Their cloak and dagger routine was becoming charming. "THANK YOU! THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!" She sobbed, cupping her hands to her pounding heart. "I don't know how you did it, but thank you for bringing my husband home."

"We said that we would, and we delivered." Tanya retorted. Dead or alive, Boba and Tanya would have brought them home.

"Thank you! A thousand times!" She threw her arms around them, catching them off guard with a tearful hug. "Thank you...thank you…" The two blushed, clearing their throats. Though they'd never admit they were enjoying her gratitude. "You didn't have to risk your lives for us…" She collected herself, freeing them from her surprisingly powerful embrace, "But I appreciate it from the bottom of my heart."

"I don't mind telling you this, my friend and I both lost our fathers." Boba educated her. Technically they've shared a father, and Tanya's lost two. No sense leaving too long a bread trail for Bonteri to sniff out. "If there was a chance they were alive, and someone offered to bring them home…" Boba need not say how fast they'd raise an army.

Mina nodded her head, thanking the gods she found two hunters led my decency and honor. The outcome may have been dramatically contrast had anyone else answered. "Well, for your service, the amount we agreed upon plus interest shall be-"

"Actually, Senator…" Tanya politely interjected, touching a hand to Mina's, "Use the credits afforded us to pay for your husband's treatment." Mina's jaw hit the floor in shock. Boba was nodding at the offer.

"But I-"

"Everyone involved has paid enough to the Cyclians." Tanya elucidated firmly. "We refuse to add to the debt by making you pay more."

It was truly a sight to behold. Mina looked into their eyes, absolutely gobsmacked. Part of her could hardly believe what she saw. Their genuine wish was for her to keep her money, to put it towards the recovery of her husband. Anyone else, lesser beings, would be bleeding her dry, preying on her distress. But not them. Why, was the question echoing in her mind. Why are they being so kind? So generous? If she pressed with the payment, would they acquiesce and accept or just give it back? "As you wish." Mina eventually gave in herself, and folded her hands to let the matter rest. "But I insist you allow me to employ you again in the future."

"That can be arranged." Boba agreed. "We'll charge you for the next one."

"I figured you would." Mina laughed charmingly. "You both are quite the pair."

"So we've heard." Tanya grinned impishly under her mask. A devastating pulse shocked her insides, her heart pounding achingly. Ice cold fear went down her spine and filled her veins. The gnawing bugs in her skull, the nauseating churns of her stomach, and the sense someone was walking around in her mind. _He's here?! NOW?!_ "We have to leave! Now!" She tossed Boba inside a utility closet, darting in after him. Then she poked her head out. "By the way, we recommend leaving out the back. The press caught wind of this." She pointed her thumb for the front entrance. Mina rolled her eyes, not surprised. Those vultures always have an ear to the ground. Bloodscukers. "Good fortune to you and your family."

"And you as well." Mina waved. She listened to the rattling inside the closet, dumbstruck when it went silent. She silently wondered how these two know where all the sneaky entrances are located.

"Mother! You'll never believe what father said!" Lux blurted, darting into the hallway. Mina acknowledged him with an arched brow. "I think his capture left him delirious! But he said one of the Bounty Hunters you hired was a Jedi!"

"A Jedi?" Mina gasped in a hushed voice.

 **xxx**

Wiggling through the vents was tricky, but Boba and Tanya managed to find their way outside. They escaped out the back of the hospital, entering the fray of shipping containers arriving in groups. Trandoshans were hauling massive crates of supplies, completely oblivious to the pair ducking in between them, and using the containers to escape.

Unbeknownst to the duo, in an effort to avoid the paparazzi vultures being barred hospital entry, Count Dooku inconspicuously arrived on scene. A cloak over his head made him ambiguous to the sneering workers, leaving him to marvel at their ability to work while _rats_ scurried about. "Well, well, so the rumors are true." He chuckled, proceeding to enter the hospital. "Little Tanya is a free agent once again. Perfect." He purred.

 **To be continued**


	10. Home Sick

**Home Sick**

 **xxx**

"A...AH...HAAA…CHOOOOO!" Boba and Tanya sneezed with the fury of a hurricane. Boba groaned sickly at the snot that dribbled down his chin to his pajama shirt. That was the fifth time that morning since they woke up. It wasn't even nine o'clock yet. Unfortunately, in Tanya's case, the high powered sneeze released pent up force energy that flipped their coffee table. "Dorry…" She snorted through her inflamed nose. The mucus tickled her throat, sending her into a fit of coughs. Sometimes having force powers feels more like a curse than a gift.

"Not a problem." Boba rubbed his puffy eyes. The pressure behind them was unbearable. "Good thing amphibians rarely get sick." In other words, a good thing TANYA rarely gets sick. Tanya's only been sick six times as far as he's counted. And each time she's flipped their home onto its roof. Worse still, amphibians' term do a here cold lasts two weeks due to the minerals and contaminants acquired from their water source. Longer still if their body's natural immunities do not adapt. Boba's worst attribute when he's sick are the snot rockets he's had to clean up for the past three days. The 154 tissue boxes in the dumpster will testify. He curled up in his cotton blanket and snuggled to the corner of the couch. Lying down has never felt so heavenly. He handed Tanya the tissue box.

"Thanks…" She blew into four of them, making a three point score to the bin halfway across the room. Through sheer willpower she levitated the table and contents back into place. A basic skill and she was shaking the items around like a rookie. This is why she strives with every fiber of her being to not get sick. The exception of a few minor - often major - incidents taking place, the irregularities caused by her stubborn immune system and the weakness she endures causes an adverse reaction with her force powers. The pressure mounting within her made it feel as if her entire body was an inflating balloon trapped inside a steel box ten times too small. Simply going to itch caused intense nausea or dizziness. Walking in a straight line requires an escort and a ray shield. "Suddenly, staying home from Glaciis doesn't sound so bad…"

"No kidding!" Boba buried his face into the couch, coughing up a storm. And phlegm. "This sucks!" He bellowed. The teapot whistled shrilly. Tanya languidly waved a hand. The pot flew off the stove and onto the coffee table. The slam jumped Boba's fragile nerves. Sounded like someone hit a gong with a metal stick. "How the Hell did I even get sick?! I never touched the water!"

"Humans are frail creatures. You guys get sick from touching a dirty surface." Tanya snorted haughtily. Boba would roll his eyes or offer to kick her, but he was too dizzy to breathe. "Remember that one kid he had the chicken pox?"

"The one from the bank?"

"The opposite side of the bank." She groggily stressed. "You ended up contracting the illness two hours later."

"I obviously bumped into him at some point!"

"While you were hiding in the bannisters waiting for closing? Did you forget the plastic relief bag?"

"Okay! Okay! I get it!" He grudgingly poured the tea, dropping slices of lemon inside. "I have a weak immune system. Sue me! Dad had one too!" And last time either of them checked, Boba is an exact replica of Jango. Minor personality differences, yes, but the boy shares Jango's lack of tolerance for airborne contagions.

"I KNOW! Who do you think was always taking care of you two?!" The nightmares come second to her parents' murder. She sipped her tea, living in the heat swimming down her sore throat. "Although, usually, whenever you two were sick I was the picture of health."

"Guess swimming in hot water and then jumping in the snow turned on yah!" He threw his head back, howling with laughter. He soon came to regret that when the room started spinning all over again. Tanya was tempted to pour his tea all over him. He's in enough pain already. Boba blew on his tea, taking in short sips. The taste of the lemon and honey he mixed in brought on happy old memories. He stared into the liquid, a sad smile spreading to his lips. Boba hated tea when he was a kid. Hated the smell, the taste, and the look of it. Jango tricked him one day by changing the color of the tea to a raspberry color, mixing in honey and lemon. Two cups later, Boba fell in love with tea, and Jango nailed it to his wall of victories over his children. "Do you think he'd be proud of us?"

"Who?" Tanya snuggled to her corner of the couch.

"Dad." Tanya arched a brow at the odd question. "Would he be happy by how we turned out?" He nervously traced a finger to his cup.

Tanya shrugged her shoulders, sinking into herself. "You maybe. Me? Not so much." She moaned guiltily, covering her left eye with her hand. The past three years will testify as much. Jango would be furious with her.

Boba released a somber sigh. "Tauhn, just because the Jedi saw you as one, doesn't make you a monster. Or a murderer."

"Yeah...of course not." Tanya won't insult either of themselves by saying she doesn't get the slightest bit giddy when delivering the killing blow. Yahkon falling to his death from that cliff certainly tickled her inner sadist. She wanted to do it again. "I'm sure if he saw us back together again he'd be jumping for joy." She mustered enough strength to lean over to his side of the couch, lying alongside him. She lovingly ruffled his hair. "But every other day beforehand would have him turning over in his grave." The two laughed lightly. Truer words were never spoken.

Tanya abandoning Boba while he's in the hospital, Boba running around the universe with a depraved sniper, and then both meeting in the shadiest part of Coruscant and attempting to kill each other. Boy, he'd be so proud of both his kids. NOT! For two years Tanya was locked in a maximum security prison, under heavy guard for attempted murder of a Senator and dozens of other murders. And Boba was galavanting about the universe with Aurra Sing Jon ng his skills in both combat and weaponry. And a few other skills he'd rather not mention. These past two years have bred sides of Boba bad Tanya neither ever knew were possible to have existed. The blood that has come to stain their hands, the same hands that they have used countless times to protect the own or themselves, was staggering. The level of tolerance they've come to develop in the face of these horrors, how they meet death on equal footing and tempt his sickle, boggled and terrified many who have been unfortunate enough to meet them in combat. None were as terrified as Boba or Tanya. Maybe it's because of that fear of themselves that they tend to cut loose too often, and inevitably thicken the calluses the years have riddle then with.

"Aurra...was she good to you?" She asked hopefully.

"As good as one can expect." Boba shrugged. What else can one say about a sociopathic sniper with an insatiable appetite for death? Which is precisely why, by pure comparison, Boba can forgive himself and Tanya for their brutal killings. "She was eccentric in my training...vicious with her methods...and even harsher when I screwed up." He massaged his sore shoulder. "And, as you can imagine, I screwed up a lot."

"I don't imagine that at all." Tanya sat up straight, resting her arm to him. "If I recall correctly, you're the more dangerous partner in our relationship." She smiled proudly. "Everyone knows in the Jedi and you the little brother. All of their eyes were on me," She brushed the backs of her fingers to his smirking cheek, "And they would never hear or see you come from miles away. And that was before Aurra got ahold of you."

"And now…" He crooned, wanting her to continue her praising. "Am I a force to be reckoned with? A weapon if mass destruction? The elite among hunters?" He bounced his brow tauntingly.

Tanya plastered a palm to his smug face. "A egotistical, prideful soldier with exceptional aim equal to his lack thereof modesty." The number of arrows that stuck him to the core left him limp like a corpse. She's as brutal as Aurra. "Tell me I'm wrong, baby brother."

"Only if you'll say I'm wrong when I call you an...opportunistic, fight crazed, stubbornly opinionated, jail bird." He tilted his head, sucking haughtily on his teeth.

"Touche." She has lost this argument. "But she was good to you in my place?"

"She never hurt me beyond training. And no she doesn't believe in corporal punishment."

"Good. That's good." She adoringly ruffled his hair, stroking his wavy brown locks. She giggled under her breath. The feel of the soft tufts gliding around her finger. She can almost picture him. Baby Boba, barely two years old, starting to walk a bit more, so innocent to the darkness of the universe. She envied that part of his naivete. There were right where Jango would be gone all night for days on end. He wouldn't call or message for his safety and theirs, leave both she and Boba worrying sick. Boba wouldn't be able to sleep and so she'd stay with him all night, stroking his hair and putting him to sleep. It worked for years. "How well have you slept without me?"

Tanya clamped her hands to her mouth, blushing at her mushy words. She cringed as she glanced to see if Boba was judging her. She gawked in astonishment. Boba was fast asleep, sewing logs to that dream cabin he's always wanted. Strained snores coming from his parted lips, and that cute furrow in his brow as he dreams. She snickered at how cute he looked. "Still works." She kissed his forehead. She draped a second blanket over him, tiptoeing to the sink and disposing of the tea. She'll leave then in the sink for now. She went to her room, wanting him to sleep peacefully for once. Maybe she can catch a few hours. Neither she nor Boba have really slept since Glaciis.

 **Four Hours Later**

Kerwan's night life was as excitable as the day, possibly more animated. Even so, Boba and Tanya were peacefully sleeping through the bustle. An ambiance they're comfortably accustomed to. If it were silent they'd more than likely be tossing and turning in the middle of the night. Boba was happily sleeping, curled up in the two blankets with fresh humidifier caplets on the table. The icy tingling filling the air near him flowed into his nose, freeing up his airways. His entire body felt heavy, his mouth and throat were dry as paper. He suffered through dehydration just to keep from getting up to get water. He doesn't want the room to spin anymore. Three days of being sick. He felt like a punching bag. The longer he lies there the more he wastes away.

His eyes poked open at the glass of water being placed by him. Through blurred vision he saw Tanya returning to her room. He smiled in thanks, took a small sip of the water. Sweet relief was his. He slowly drifted back to sleep, fading on the sounds of Metropolis.

 **xxx**

Tanya yawned dryly, stretching her tired arms behind her back and around. She plopped to her bed, not bothering with the covers. She was going to die where she lied, and then wake up after a week. If she's still sick she'll die again. _Beep...beep...beep._ "Ugghh…" And she'll be taking the moron that's calling her with her.

Drums pounded in Tanya's head, raising her blood pressure. She prayed that was the coffee maker beeping. Or someone's silent alarm going off. _Beep...beep...beep._ Her blurry vision cleared with her bouncing eyelids. A flickering red dot broke through the haze. "Great…" Surprise, surprise, right on her night stand, the beeping was coming from her holoprojector. "I swear...if that is Hondo asking for more spice…" She squeezed her eyes closed and slapped a hand onto the Holoprojector, then turned over to her other side. "I swear, Hondo or Scroop, this had better be a good one or I will unleash all seven realms of Hell on your asses." That's all she wrote, they'd better take it while the getting is available.

" _Ha-Ha-Ha..._ " Tanya's spine disintegrated. The dark laughter penetrating her skin. " _I've never heard such a lethargic threat from you._ " Tanya twisted back, terror in her eyes of the hooked nose gentleman on the projector. " _I never imagined your fiery outbursts could ever lack their burning luster._ " He grinned menacingly.

"Dooku?!" She cried, propping up on her hands.

" _Hello, Ms. Fett. You're looking a little under the weather_." His attempts at jokes make her stomach churn.

"How the Hell did you get my number?!" She snarled venomously.

" _After all we've been through, that is your question?"_ As irritating as it is, he has a point. Dooku's proven himself to be the personification of resourceful. A little digging into the underbelly of society, a left turn or two, he'll likely find contacts for Janna too. _"How was your time with Mina Bonteri? And her son, Lux._ " Her veins lost all circulation. _"A nice change of pace from the Republic, wouldn't you agree_?"

Her pupils narrowed to slits. "Dooku I swear-ACK- _COUGH! COUGH! COUGH!_ " Tanya twisted away, coughing crazily into her wrist. She mixed coughing powder into her water and chugged the water in two gulps. She heaved dryly, catching her breath.

" _It would appear Glaciis did not agree with you. I recommend soup with an herbal broth and plenty of rest."_ Dooku casually advised, pretending to be fascinated by his immaculate fingernails. Tanya frothed at the mouth, drying her lip while bearing her fangs. _"Though I must admit I am surprised you risked such hazardous conditions for a complete stranger."_ He chuckled behind a curled palm, taunting her with his wolfish leer. _"Has the good senator charmed you so easily?_ "

"Don't insult me with games, Count!" She howled. She collected herself, remembering Boba was another room away. She leaned in, lowering her voice to a snarl. "Mina...Senator Bonteri...wanted her husband back! That's it!"

" _Calm yourself, my young Jedi. OH! My apologies. My Young FORMER Jedi."_ Tanya grudgingly glanced away, scrunching her nose. _Figures he'd know._ Her shoulders sank. Dooku's lascivious stare peeled the layers of the shield she desperately tried to extend. The number of chinks present in this girl's armor since that _drama_ are deliciously copious. This is an all new game for him, and one he will take pleasure in enjoying at a later time. _"The reason behind my call is to not to mean harm to you, your brother, or the senator." She'll ignore the emphasis on Boba. "I merely wish to thank you and your brother for the service you've done for our senate."_ Tanya felt an invisible hand slap her with confusion. She gasped at the Count, utterly dumbstruck as to whether she heard him correctly. _"The Bonteri's, as well as Senator Kushi, for saving a good friend, are in your debt. As am I. You both saved a good man_."

"Oh...um...you're welcome?" She scratched at her cheek.

" _Indeed._ " Dooku swept a hand, bowing to her. She cursed the blush tinting her cheeks. Charming as a snake, and yet still charming. " _How very admirable of you both?_ "

"Count?" She tilted her head.

" _Venturing into dangerous territory, fighting against staggering odds - all for a stranger and her husband._ " He hummed mocking at her heroics. She's such an honorable hunter.

"She's not a stranger! Senator Bonteri and I have met before." Dook was there after the fact on Mandalore for the drama that took place. Two senators, one a Separatist and the other a Republican, both siblings, about to face the death penalty for meeting with one another. The second longest day of her life with an entirely second drama taking place from her sordid past. She cannot begin to describe how exhausted she was. "She's one of the few Senators that I have grown to respect."

" _So she DID ask you for help._ "

"No! She placed an ad on the holonet, we answered it! And now a family is back together!" She won't sit idly by as Dooku tries to hang Mina with a noose. She won't give him the satisfaction of tearing another family apart.

" _Unlike yours, correct? Is that not why you aided her?"_ Tanya mustered every muscle in her body to not react. Her poker face remained in stone, and she didn't budge an inch for him. She refused to. _"Come now, Tanya, you can admit it to me. I will not disparage you."_ Dooku teased. She may not have physically reacted, but Dooku is no fool. He can see right through her. Or rather, he can see right into her. See the feline becoming trapped in her corner. _"You accepted this job for the sake of sentimentality. To feel the joy of watching at least one family being reunited after a marring nightmare, in spite of the fact you can never feel that sort of joy again._ "

"SHUT UP! You don't know anything!"

And there's the reaction he was hoping for. By far the most glorious of results he could hope for. " _I do know that emotion and empathy are your greatest weakness. You simply cannot help wanting to prevent someone like Lux to know what it feels like to lose a loved one in this manner."_ In this manner? Does he mean bloodthristy monsters attempting to bleed a man dry? Or a child having to experience losing their parent to a monster? Either way, a boy like Lux would never recover. Not if he was front and center. _"Tell me, during this mission, were you scared of failing? Scared of the pain you'd sense from Lux Bonteri, and the hatred he would be consumed by?_ "

"I don't fear anything!" She roared. "And Lux isn't like you or I! He's stronger than we'd ever hope to be!" She sensed it from him the second she entered the room. The way he holds the gun shows he will be a better politician than a fighter. He is passionate, moderately impulsive, but he'd seek strength from a loss like this. Not sympathy.

" _You think so?_ "

"I know so!" And she won't be convinced otherwise.

Dooku hummed skeptically, arching a scrupulous brow. Unwavering, direct eye contact, not a single contradictory twitch. Just what he's come to expect from Tanya. Dedicated and loyal, all the while maintaining an objectivity that more often than not raises questions. In spite of the fact that she will never admit it, Tanya's dedication to those she chooses to protect is based solely on emotion. A traumatized child seeking to compensate for her inability to save her loved ones so long ago. Nevertheless, he won't be getting anywhere with her tonight. Best to take a small victory in the pegs he's set, and wait to place more. _"Very well. I take my leave of you."_ He acquiesced. He started to take his leave, then turned to her again, _"Oh, and fear not. Senator Bonteri will not face punishment for consorting with you. After all, she was meeting with the Bounty Hunter. The Jedi is no more. A mere Rogue now."_ The rage boiling in her blood sent uncontrollable shaking through her body. Her fang punctured her lip. _"No need to despair in your resignation. Perhaps when next your journey brings you to our orbit, you may find your future services yield a positive outcome in the future."_ He winked, then ended the call.

Tanya clutched the projector in her iron grasp. Her demonically slit eyes glowed in the moonlight. "Never...going...to happen!" She threw the projector, shattering it on the wall.

 **To be continued**

 **Not very long, but I'm tired.**


	11. Awkward Reunions

**Awkward Reunions**

 _The more vicious a reunion, the closer you become_

 **xxx**

 _ **A dire situation! After days suffering under an oppressive cold, siblings Tanya and Boba Fett have returned to the field, working to fend off their supposed atrophy. Their streak of fortuitous jobs yielding bountiful rewards, leading them higher up the food chain of rival hired guns looking to eliminate them. Unfortunately, the hired guns they wish to draw out are remaining bound to their dampened shadows. As they continue their streak of odd jobs to return to their daily grind, the Fett Siblings receive two anonymous calls over a restricted line. One from Godfather Hondo Ohnaka, and the other from close Family Friend Izumi Rahn. And the latter has the pair in a gripping gambling tournament to determine who will be the victim of this woman's company. **_

**xxx**

 _SHING!_ The light reflected off the golden credit flipping high into the air flickered wildly. One side marked with the face of a human boy, the other a female cat. Whichever side the credit lands on, whoever is the unlucky face to touch the floor instead of facing the heavens will be the one to meet with Izumi Rahn. At a certain point in their history, soon to be name Izumi Rahn. Life and death road on that credit. Neither will deny wanting to avoid meeting with Izumi, but neither will deny it will be wonderful to see an old face again. Under very drastically different circumstances. _PING!_ The credit hit the ground. The feline wins. And to the loser goes...the death sentence.

As the winner of their little wager, Tanya basked in her glory in the front seat of a friend's fighter. Nothing too flashy that would attract attention. The cloaking mechanism portrayed the ship as diplomatic envoy of Pantora. Three guesses who loaned her the ship. Fully functioning hyperdrive sen her on a straight shot course to the barren, sandy, acid geyser covered world of Florum. Home to one Weequay pirate named Hondo Ohnaka. Pirate, smuggler, deviant, and beloved godfather of Boba and Tanya Fett. Meanwhile, as she taunts her little brother in his hour of misery, Boba is writhing within the seat of the Fett Cruiser, reluctantly on his way to planet Rilgar. Awaiting his arrival will be Mintoro Scroop. Owner of the Cloud 9 bar in Blackwater City who happens to own a nice penthouse on the upper east side, and is the other proclaimed Godfather by Jango. Along with Scroop, shaking Boba to the core, is the notorious Izumi Rahn. The only woman known to the hunters to ever strike fear into the heart of Jango, and the only one to win his heart. That bit of story will be at its most humorous with the lovely Duchess Satine in the picture. Until then, at this very moment, Boba was about to meet with the scariest woman known to hunter kind while his sister escaped to be with their drunkard Godfather he's barely met. AND ALL BECAUSE HE LOST A COIN TOSS!

" _WHY DO I HAVE TO GO SEE HER?!_ " Boba whined in agony to his elder sister. " _I wanna go to Florum where it's..._ " He trailed off in a wheeze, unsure exactly how to describe Florum. SAFE should never be used. Even by accident. Besides, if they're being fair, Boba hasn't really _met_ Hondo and would like a chance for some male bonding. A couple of instances here and there, but never anything like Tanya.

"Because you lost the coin toss, and you know damn well she'll kill me if she sees me!" Tanya shuddered. She lubricated a granite block on the dash with mineral oil. She meticulously positioned her fingers to the length of her family knife, adjusting her wrist as she grasped firmly at the hilt. "Izumi may have been good to you and dad, but she went out of her way to make me miserable." Not in a vengeful way, mind you. Izumi was aware of the trauma Tanya suffered, and bore witness to the meek shell that it was shaping her to be. Before it was too late for Tanya, Izumi began helping to mold her into a warrior. Boba is one of her better success stories.

" _Come on, Tanya!_ " Boba laughed nervously, obscuring his belief in that outcome. He needed to sound skeptical in order to keep his own spine in tact. " _Izumi is...well, crazy at times. But she isn't unreasonable."_

She didn't budge he knife an inch before lerring deadpan. He honestly said that with a straight face. "Says the guy who was hung over a vat of boiling marshmallows to be scared out of sneaking deserts when he was nine." Boba wrapped his arms around himself like a shivering serpent. He still has nightmares of that day. Bound by his ankles, hands tied behind his back, dangling 20 feet over a melting pot of molten marshmallows with chocolate and graham crackers thrown in. Dropped another inch closer for every dessert he's ever taken after Jango told him no. Izumi freed him long before he ever came close to being burned by the fumes, but the scars are there. "And you weren't there when she visited me in prison. She swore old age wouldn't kill me." A blessing after everything that's happened.

" _And it didn't. You're free as a bird!"_ Boba clapped, spreading his arms. He tried jazzing her with a sardonic smile. She wasn't amused.

"Exactly, and now SHE'S FREE to pick up where prison left off!" She aggressively began sharpening her knife, using Izumi righteous fury as an adrenaline rush. Taking care, of course, to not slice her fingers open.

Boba rolled his eyes. Tanya's become so dramatic the past three years. Guess being stuck with the Jedi, and being sick for a couple weeks have made her paranoid. _Sick..._ Boba's mind trailed back to Raxus. Around the time at the hospital. They were finalizing their deal with Mina Bonteri, securing her in their back pocket should they ever need work on the fly. She has admitted to being in their debt. No harm in reminding her of that. Anyway, back on track, before their hasty exit, Tanya seemed to turn to stone. The look in her eyes. Someone or something scared her in that moment before their escape. " _Can I ask you something?_ " He timidly chimed. Tanya batted her eyes, granting permission with a tender face. " _What happened on Raxus? You went pale as a ghost._ "

The grounding metal on rock stopped in an instant. Her fingers tensed, curling stiffly. "You saw that, huh?" She moaned with a nauseated smile. Of course he noticed. Why wouldn't he? Boba notices everything, even if he's passed over. His attention to detail is what makes him a force to be reckoned with. The smallest change in a person's demeanor, a step taken in a direction foreign to a favored route, the original color of body hair - Boba see's it all. Lying to him, in Tanya's case, wasn't an option. "Count Dooku was coming."

The name froze Boba in amazement. _"Count Dooku? The guy Dad worked for on Geonosis?_ " Incredible. For him, at least. Boba, for reasons Tanya refuses to acknowledge, idolizes Count Dooku. A self made nobleman with a famous family name, lording over the Separatist faction after resigning as Jedi Grand Master Yoda's Padawan, while partaking in the war as a Sith Lord. He has a hand in all aspects of society. From criminals to politicians to everything in between. Leading legitimate business deals during the day, conducting himself in a civilized and professional manner for his fellow Senators. All the while commencing with his true means of acquiring capital in the night,shaking hands with the most depraved of the criminal underworld who he has cleverly positioned in significant areas on his game board. He has more friends than enemies at his beck and call. " _How do you know?"_ He failed to not sound excited.

"You know that stupid quirk of mine?" She moaned, languidly returning to refining her knife.

" _The sensitivity to people one?_ "

"That's the one. Dooku and I met face to face on Geonosis some time ago during an _incident_ , and he took an interest in me." Leave it to Jar-Jar to somehow get trapped on a ship, and later wind up stabbed with a blade coated with Blargian poison. Those 48 hours defined Tanya, tested the lengths she'd go to in order to save another's life. Friend or stranger. Within those hours, Count Dooku was privy to a firsthand view of Tanya's resolve. That, regardless of reputation, she will face off against a god if it meant protecting those she cared about. "He tries to get in my head, feeds off my hostile emotions and loves playing with my already unstable head. He uses Dad and Mace against me in order to get a reaction." Their previous conversation, however, he danced around Mace and threw the entire Jedi Order in her face. Including her resignation. A choice that was hers...that carries monumental pain. "He then began tethering to me, using a quirk I have no control of in order to locate and sense me. Vice versa, I can sense him coming leagues away as well." A giant game of cat and mouse. "Reading him…? That depends on him." Yoda and Dooku - the only two to date she can't read for the life of her.

" _He scares you."_ Boba gasped. Tanya bit on her lower lip, distracting herself by admiring he blade. She set it aside, reaching for her next blade. Her hands were shaking so badly she dropped it, setting of flags in Boba's mind. _"He really does! He scares you!"_

"He terrifies me!" She screeched, eyes wide with hysteria. Everything about that man terrifies and angers her. "And that terror is only worsened when he's close by." Her head begins to spin as he drills to enter her mind. Every fiber of her body screams for her to run or fight, crumbling or stand. He manages to make her do both at once. "What's worse is he said to keep our recent heroics for Mina in mind for our next visit." Like she'll ever allow herself or Boba to go anywhere near him.

" _What does that mean?"_

"I...I don't want to know. But…" In the heat of her brash decisions, there is a blessing in disguise here, "It won't hurt to have it in our back pocket." A monotone beep announced another call interceding on Boba and Tanya's channel. Tanya accessed the frequency, picking up the call coming from Florum. Honod must be getting impatient waiting for her. "Sorry, bro. Got another call coming in. I'll have to call you back. Tell Scroop I said hi." She ended the call, moving over to Hondo.

 **xxx**

Boba flopped in the pilot's seat, gaping in utter disbelief. "She got another call?! Really?!" Boba darted out of his seat, storming in a fury to the back of the ship. He angrily road the ladder into the cargo area, slamming his feet to the hollow flooring. Grasping at a hatch handle he tore the way open to the ship's thruster engines. A Mustafarian Spider crab was inside, welding a busted pipe back into place. His large yellow eyes were behind large goggles. The sparks from the welding torch were deflected by his crustacean skin. He acknowledged the fuming boy above him as he kept on working. "I'm about to die and she's worried about another call! Can you believe her?!"

"Stop being so dramatic, Boba." Scroop chuckled. He set the welder aside, blowing on the pipe to help cool it down. "Izumi just wants to talk about the last three years. She's heard a lot happened." He ominous warned. They all have heard a lot.

"That's what I'm scared of! Izumi hears and sees all!" Boba flew into a frenzy, clawing at his head and throwing his hands up in the air. He circled the hatch, thinking of all the creative ways Izumi will string him up and use him as bait. "She'll know about our fights, where we've been, what we've been up to! She'll especially know that I picked Aurra over her! This is a death warrant!" Izumi and Aurra don't exactly get along. That's too kind. Those two full out try to kill each other if left alone in the same room for longer than two seconds.

"Boba…" Scroop inched his way out of the hatch, crackling his numerous legs and stretching out. It's a tight fit in that little hole, "Izumi mainly wanted to see you both because she's been worried." He rest a claw to the boy's shoulder, stopping his rampant pacing. "Remember, she was like a mother to you guys. And, like any mother, she feared something happened to you both."

"I know. That's why we've been terrified of meeting with her!" Boba whimpered. Izumi means the universe to Tanya and Boba. Losing her faith, her trust, or any sort of respect from her would kill them. These past three years, she'd be so furious with them she may not even speak to them. When that happens, when she doesn't acknowledge you, it means she doesn't know the person in front of her. That she's disgusted with them. Precisely why Boba wanted to run to Florum with Tanya. "Tanya got to go see Hondo, so she gets a get out of jail free card handed to her. I'm the one that has to explain what's been happening." He folded his arms, twisting away in shame. "I'm not proud of a lot of it."

"I know. And so does she." Scroop reassured him. "But her other reason for seeing you…" Scroops claws tightened to Boba. He leaned in close to his ear, "The universe is being painted Krimson."

Boba's insides did a complete flip, his skin splitting at the seams. He whipped to the Spider Crab, latching hands to his forearms. "They're moving?!" He gasped.

"According to her. She'll have more when we arrive." He assured.

"I hope she has more…" Boba lowered his head, "Otherwise we'll be losing our own war right there with the Republic."

 **xxx**

" _Well you are certainly taking your time, aren't you?!_ " Hondo belligerently scolded. Tanya can smell the booze on his breath from there. The fact he was wiggling like a streamer in the wind was proof enough. It wasn't even 10am on Florum yet. " _I figured Izumi being in the area would expedite your retreat to my humble home._ " Expedite. A three syllable word. Hondo earned himself a star.

"Look, I'm almost there. I should be passing Vanqor and then another six parsecs from there I'll be on Florum." She droned.

" _Ugh...about that…_ " Hondo winced at her report, pinching his fingertips, " _You may wish to change your trajectory._ "

"What? Why?" First he's mad she's taking too long, now he wants her to take a detour.

" _Remember our little Christmas Shower from five years ago? The toys the red man rained down to us._ "

"Yes. The pounds of military grade equipment you guys stole from a ship you raided." Huge battle between rival cartels was over Florum. Their battle inevitably sent them crashing and burning on Florum. Their haul was reportedly stolen goods from both the Republic and Confederacy. Hondo leeched the equipment, demolishing the tracking software and putting it to work for him.

" _Nuances and nuisances. ANYWAY,"_ He flourished his arms, rolling her baseless accusations off his back, _"Those sensors we have attached to my compound are picking up heavy activity in the Vanqor Sector. Dozens of ships! A couple classified as frigates and fighters."_

Frigates and Fighters. Everyone seems to have one these days. "Do we know who it is?"

" _Not yet, but we do know they aren't targeting us on Florum. OR HONDO! Is that not great?!"_ He laughed obnoxiously, clapping heartily.

"Focus, Hondo!" She pounded a fist. This little detour Hondo wants her to take will require her to leave hyperspace. As her luck would have it, she was in the Vanqor System. At least she'll have a bit of excitement on this dull trip of hers. "Have they landed on Vanqor or headed for Florum?" Hondo checked his instruments, shaking his head with relief. "If they aren't going to Florum or Vanqor, why are they near the planet?!"

" _No clue."_ He bounced his shoulders indifferently. Then an idea popped in his head. _"Egh...perhaps...instead of diverting, you could...you know…"_ He motioned his hands for her to linger a while. Maybe distract whoever is there, or see if she can't get him a few more _gifts._

"Oh so NOW you want me to dive head long into the line of fire to ensure your hide is safe!" She barked. "What?! Should I loot the corpses floating in the vacuum of space while I'm at it?!"

" _MMUWHA! You are the best! Tell Boba I said hi! Love you!"_ He hurriedly ended the call.

Veins popped in Tanya's skull. Her ears erected to horns, the hairs on her tail frozzing. "Asshole…"

Tanya massaged the lids of her eyes. Hondo is a natural at bringing on migraines. There's also that battle currently ravaging the Vanqor system. Frigates and fighters. Militaries usually are privileged to those class of ships. _They can't possibly be all the way out here._ She muttered. Tanya debated her options, watching her radar map out her trail passing Vanqor. There's a chance she can dart right through the battle while in Hyperspace. Not impossible. Although, the rumors there are whales in space that can knock ships out of hyperspace and send them spiraling out of control. The probability of a stray ship or laser bolt knocking her out was climbing the bar. And there are rare occasions where Hondo is right in his efforts to avoid fights he finds tedious. He's amazing at running away. In spite of his status amongst the ranks.

After a long while of debates, Tanya sighed defeatedly and left the confines of hyperspace. The electric blue vortex peeled away to the ebony, star filled abyss. The transition sent her vision reeling. She idled a while as she set in the new coordinates that should take her around Vanqor and possibly add another six parsecs onto her trip. Not too bad, but odds are she'll go stir crazy before reaching Florum. As the computer accepted the new set of coordinates, Tanya scoured the surrounding space. Hondo must have better sensors than the fighter she's borrowing. The radar wasn't picking up anything. Maybe they left while she wasted brain cells on Hondo. She shook her head, ruling the sensors defective after years in Hondo's spice covered hands. The hyperdrive was ready for another jump. Her finger was an inch from the button when shrill whirring caught her ear. She turned to her left and was scared right out of her seat. A solar sailor, engine's up in smoke, shrieked only mere feet from her, plummeting for the Planet Vanqor in a fiery dive. That was going to leave a few marks on the pilot.

"Found one!" She looked around for more. Where there's a smoking ship on a crash landing, there is usually a ship that caused it. "But where…" Right on cue, a second ship came went down after the sailer in a blaze of glory. A sheathipede-class transport. Looked familiar. The wing was being enveloped by flames and smoke. "That's two! But isn't there supposed to be a battle up here?" Two ships on a crash course means there's a fight somewhere. Maybe Hondo was drunk at the monitors again and confused the radar for one of his lame asteroid games. For all purposes, the two on a crash course shot each other. Tanya bounced her shoulders indifferently, calling it a day. She prepped her ship for the jump, easing the wheel forward. "Time to go ho-WOAH!" A barrage of laser bolts shrieked past her ship, grazing the sides of the armor. In a panic Tanya darted the ship to all sides, stooping low to escape the incoming line of fire. She twisted around in her seat. Beads of sweat clung to her brow. A monster battle cruiser, two star frigates, and the dozens of fighters reflected off her window. "Dammit! Found them…!" She trembled. She paused in shock of the battle cruiser listing aimlessly over the frigates. She recognized the models. "What's the Republic doing here?!" Which can only mean the other on the opposite end of this dogfight are Separatists. "Figures! Their mess spreads wherever it can!" More laser bolts were hurtling her way. By pure blind fire from both sides. She should count herself lucky the Sepies and Republic were busy trying to kill each other rather than focusing on her. Now that she knows where everyone is, she can return on her merry way for Uncle Hondo. Then again, she could take a small trip to Vanqor and check if there are any survivors. And she's not one for looting, but Hondo will never let her hear the end of it if she doesn't bring him a souvenir. Then again, she doesn't act on behalf of his whims. But he is going through a lot to ensure she isn't found by whatever Republicans are _missing_ her. And a few other neerdowell _friends_ looking for her and those of the creed. And she does owe him.

Tanya activated her fighter's sensors, isolating the unique signatures of the Republic and Separatist ships. Lo and behold, the dozens that Hondo's own sensors detected appeared in a matter of seconds. Tanya increased the range of the sensors, wanting to determine the makes and locations of the two ships that were heading for an unpleasant landing. The signature of the solar sailer registered first. Separatist in coding. The next was a sheathipede class transport. Republic code. And either by luck or by a pure curse still on her head, both ships landed in a single location within feet of each other. Whoever was on board, there's a whole Hellstorm ravaging Vanqor right now. And with how close Vanqor is to Florum...that's a meeting Tanya doesn't need. She needs to get rid of whoever's there.

"This day can't possibly get any worse." She dove for the planet. "Boba must be having a blast!"

 **xxx**

The elevator ride up to Scroop's penthouse seemed to drag on for hours. Boba curled up to the transparent glass of the cylindrical chute, trying to calm himself with the spanning metropolis. Blackwater City was beautiful during the day. Brimming in the morning light, generally gleeful in comparison to Kerwan, and considerably more inviting. The racing vehicles resembling insects rushing about their daily grind. The nightlight, in every sense of the phrase, was definitely the polar opposite. The unsavory aspects arouse from their slumber in packs, taking over the city in a Hellstorm. Boba's retained a few scars from those unsavory characters. They got theirs though. They left Boba with scar, he left them falling to their deaths. The million mile drop standing between Boba and freedom. If Scroop wasn't anchoring him in place, he most definitely would have relied on his jetpack to escape. Run as far away as possible and never look back. That is, also, if his stomach wasn't begging to be let out onto the floor.

 _Ding!_ Boba shed his skin, clamping a hand to his mouth to stop the bile from exploding. The door whisked open with a breath of air. An enriched decor, vibrant kinetic aesthetic compared to his bar, welcomed the pair. Boba felt like he should look toward the ceiling and say hi to a studio audience. This place was unreal. Waxed wooden floors, a sort of salmon colored wall with an offsetting green molding near the floor. Plants and portraits giving off the air of sophistication. Compensation for the riff raff allowed to live amongst the upper crust. No offence to Scroop.

"Right this way." Scroop escorted Boba down the hall and around the corner. The view was amazing. Boba can't get enough of it. Maybe he and Tanya should consider either redecorating or moving. He took out his keycard, raising it to the door panel. The light switched from red to green, then a keypad extended at the bottom.

"If I leave now I can avoid a hospital bill." Boba plotted. He cried hysterically, ruffling his hair. "Am I insane?! The last time we tried that, she found us in that tomb beneath the Egaishian Pyramids past the labyrinth!" That was a long trip. Boba and Tanya wanted to prove themselves capable to Jango and Izumi and went inside an unstable tomb for a piece of treasure for their client. The result was Boba tripping an old trap, and Tanya releasing a huge force induced sneeze, trapping them inside.

"Oh yeah! Brr! It took Jango days to dig you out." He lifted his prosthetic claw. Tiny prongs extended from a slot, entering a code to the door. "You can do this, Boba. No big deal."

"Right! Right!" He panted. "We've taken down Trandoshans, beaten hundreds of droids, stared down hutts all the while tolerating their foul stench, and - possibly the most grueling of all - we sat through that horrible Twi-Lightyear Movie!" And they came out walking straight every single time.

"Ugh...Sparkling Energy Vampires, emotionally imbalanced Wire Werewolves, and teenagers with PMS issues. Okay..." Now Scroop KNOWS he can survive anything. The door accepted the code, and released the locks.

Boba took a deep breath. Scroop opened the door, entering first. Boba followed suit, gasping in awe of the open pad. "Holly mother of...wow…" A second story up a flight of solid fiberglass stairs. A square dip of stairs made up the living area, a fireplace just outside of it with a spot to sit at it. Out on the balcony, to accompany the majestic view was a ten man hot tub. And the latest in holonet TV stretched across the far wall by holo imager bulbs. He and Tanya are definitely moving to Rilgar next if they have places like this. Scroop even had a coffee table that can sideline as a Holoprojector. "So putting a down payment on this place."

"Not for sale." Scroop laughed.

"Welcome home, Mintoro." Toxicologist Argias Carver greeted, meandering over with a cup of fresh tea in his hand.

"Doc?!" Boba gasped. Even Carver was called? Scroop wasn't surprised to see him. Now Boba knows something is wrong. "Are things that bad with the Knights?" He shuddered. Carver and Scroop exchanged anxious glances, unsure how to best describe the situation they've found themselves in.

The door to the next hall swished open. Tatter brown boots stepped out, liquid green eyes gleaming wolfishly. "That depends on what you mean by _bad_." Scroop and Boba's skin crawled at the female crooning. Carver sighed heatedly, reluctantly stepping to the side to permit the emaciated, chalk-white woman to join the conversation. Boba took a step back under the daunting presence of the orange suited woman. Her ridiculously long fingers twirling long whips of her auburn hair. "Because, dearest, Boba, we're in a particular paradise compared to how things could be." Her lips split to a malicious grin.

"Aurra! What are you doing here?!" Boba gasped. Scroop would like to know that as well.

"Hondo couldn't make it, so I was called." She pinched his chin, drawing him in closer. "And I see you're standing in for Tanya." Her eyes darted around for the feline to miraculously appear. "How is she doing, by the way?"

"F-Fine! She-she's fine!" Boba blushed, cursing himself for that lame stutter. "Heard you and she had a nice couple of run-ins."

"New scars for our ensemble!" She boasted, moving away from him. "I was looking forward to putting a few more on her."

"Well that will have to wait, Sing!" A masculine woman's bark bellowed. Heads whipped around, a mixture of emotions flaring at the muscular Mirialan woman trudging into the living room. He armor-leather clad midriff halter showing off the traditional tribal markings trailing down her left side. "Seeing as Mr. Ohnaka and Tan-Tan aren't present, your blood lust with have to be stifled!" The opal of her arrow head pendant matched her ferocious opal eyes. A large portion of her black colored bangs was combed towards the right side, draping over one of her eyes. Traces of orange coloring was shaped to a prism where her to the thigh hair was tied to close knit pigtails, each split off into two braids slung to her muscular shoulders. "And even if she was here, I'd never allow you to touch her. Not now!" Armored vambrace were strapped at her triceps, the edges of the clips parted to hold tiny daggers. He moseyed with deceivingly feminine hands hands to the line of her brown and orange tight pants. Guns and knives inside a thigh to waist holster. The clopping of her ankle high boots was more daunting than Aurra's entrance. As such, Aurra leaned away as the slightly shorter woman lunged in, "Lest you've forgotten what happened when you thought you could touch Boba!"

"Of course I haven't, Izumi." Aurra struggled to regulate her tone. Heat was seeping from her skin, her tongue lapping hungrily to her dry lips. "Perhaps I'll sate myself with you, Non-Number." She purred.

"Your final mistake!" Izumi warned. "Remember, you were only named three because I stepped down! You never earned your rank!"

"I will earn it in a matter of seconds!"

"Ladies! Please!" Carver interceded the cat fight. Daggers were already flying, he doesn't need blood ruining Scroop's carpeting. Aurra and Izumi may actually kill with looks.

Boba groaned sickly, sinking into a hole. "I bet Tanya's having a blast right now!"

"Izumi, you asked us here to discuss the Knights. You said you discovered news of their movements." Carver attempted to slip between them.

"I did, and I have." She snarled, using every ounce of her resolve to face Carver. Her fist or foot might fly into Aurra's nose beyond her control, on the other hand. "I've discovered something else as well." She paused to ensure she had everyone's attention, wanting them to not miss a word of what they're about to learn. "There is a chance we may have discovered the planet playing host to the Knight Hoard."

 **xxx**

The Separatist frigates and the B1 Fighters were completely demolished by the Republic Cruiser Lunaris. Nothing but smoking debris was left drifting amongst the trillions of space dust orbiting Vanqor. Recon teams were dispatched by Rex and Cody to scour for surviving droids or ships left in tact. Possibly a contingency plan - explosives or critical leveled engines - was left amongst the debris as a last ditch effort. Meanwhile, Ahsoka remained on the bridge, attempting tirelessly to establish contact with Obi-Wan and Anakin.

After Count Dooku escaped his ship, the Munificent, he made an attempt to flee in his solar sailer. Live to fight another day, his favorite past time. Obi-Wan and Anakin boarded the confiscated Sheathipede in the Munificent Hangar and chased him down, shooting out his engine. Dooku was sent on a collision course with the planet surface, and not long after the Sheathipede had its wing shot out and was on the same trail. It's been determined that both the Sailer and Pede made an ironically safe landing and were still in tact based off the signals transmitting. However, communications with the MIA Jedi were ending questionably. Mass amounts of static flooded the waves, a few breaks to hear planet life here and there. But nothing resembling Obi-Wan or Anakin.

"They're taking too long…" Ahsoka hummed perturbed. She felt all eyes on her for a decision. She battled within herself as to what her next move should be. Separatist reinforcements could be on their way. But Obi-Wan and Anakin could be dying. Splitting up their manpower could prove disastrous. Idling like moron would be dangerous as well.

"Commander Tano!" Sergeant Slick raced onto the bridge. "Sir, during the commotion, we detected a ship coming out of hyperspace!" This just keeps getting better.

"Enemy reinforcements?"

"No. The signature registered as a...Diplomatic Pantoran ship?"

"Pantora?!" Rex and Cody arched confused brows. "What would any of them be doing out here?!"

"That's what we'd like to know." Slick reassured she wasn't the only one confused. He showed her a video feed they managed to capture before the ship vanished. He zoomed in on the detected ship. "We spotted the ship coming under heavy fire when General Skywalker and Kenobi's transport were sent on a collision with the planet." He played the video through, all the way until it headed for Vanqor.

Ahsoka squinted her eyes, rewinding the feed to inspect the ship. "That's a fighter! Not Pantoran, not one of ours. Is it theirs?" She pondered nervously.

"Again, sir, we don't know. All we know is its following course with the Generals and Count Dooku."

"Then we need to get down there and find them!" Ahsoka wasn't waiting around anymore. "If Dooku does have a lackey coming to his rescue, we need to even the odds!"

"Already on it, Commander!" Cody assured her. "We have a team assembled and waiting.

"Good. And just in case," She moved to the edge of the bridge, addressing the support team, "Get a message to Senator Chuchi and ask her if she's missing any ships. If the ship happens to be one of theirs, she'll want to know."

"Yes sir!"

Ahsoka nodded, then lead Rex, Cody, and Slick for the hangar. "Good call, kid." Rex nudged her shoulder with a fist.

"Thanks. I'm getting good at this leader thing." She brushed knuckles pridefully on her chest.

Rex scoffed, shoving her head down. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." She shoved his hand off, the pair laughing.

 **xxx**

Fog, dust, or a combination of the two - Vanqor is never going to make it to the hottest tourist attractions. The one appealing consolation of the planet are the radiant glistenings of ethereal gems imbedded in the leagues of bedrock. The teal and placid grey rock were abysmal in ambiance, haunting in a way. How Gundarks have survived on such a decayed planet is one of nature's mysteries. Yet it had a certain appeal. A good getaway from the bustle of life and just...take in what an apocalyptic nightmare worlds can become if things continue the way they are. Tanya might retire here for that reason. She's gotten to spend time on Vanqor before, so she isn't unfamiliar with the terrain. She would survive. Maybe.

As fun as it is to sightsee, Tanya kept her shifting eyes glued to her scanners and the road ahead. The signatures of the two ships were drawing closer. Traces of smoke lingered in the air. Avoided the razor peaked spires of bedrock made her search a trial. The ships could be in front of her, or nestled in the crevices, and she would fly right past them if she doesn't keep a sharp eye. As it would seem, that wasn't the case. At a clearing near one of the Gundark caves, Tanya spotted torn grooves in the rock leading to the Sailer and Sheathipede. "Fancy landing…" She snorted. Seriously, the ship looks familiar,

Tanya circled the sight, running a quick scan for battle droids or warm bodies lurking nearby. By all appearances, the area was clear. Good news, with a note of bad. Tanya landed on the other side of a cliff activating the cloaking device. She'd need to make her investigation quick before the Republic or Separatists send out a search party. Odds are she knows someone on either ship, or they know her, and she really isn't in the mood for reunions. She donned her hood, turning the ring and raising the mask. She stalked her way to the ships, hand resting to on one of her swords. Tingles awoke bumps on her skin. Several lifeforms were nearby. Tanya could sense them at her back, to the sides, and practically flying over her. But none were near the ship. Someone obviously survived that crash.

The retardant systems on both ships extinguished the flames eating their way to an explosive end for these ships. The sheathipede's wing was damaged beyond repair. Even if someone managed to fix it, the ship would lose its notorious maneuverability. The sailer's engine was fried. Nothing more than a glorified paperweight now. Whoever was flying, they weren't going anywhere anytime soon. On the bright side, there weren't any corpses. "Any landing you can walk away from…" The number of life forms made it hard for her to sense who crawled out of the wreckage. The pilots are going to have to wait for a pick up. That's if the Gundark's don't eat them first.

Tanya tapped her comlink, "Hey, Hondo. I found that dogfight you detected. Guess the war finally reached our borders."

" _Republic and Separatists?! This is fantastic!_ " He cheered.

"Excuse me?!"

" _If any of them crash on Vanqor, think of the spice I can get for pieces of their ship or the cargo they have!_ " She can hear his greedy, sticky palms rubbing together. " _Oh, Vanqor you never cease to fail me in my time of need!_ "

"Are you serious?! Do you have any idea how fast either faction will be at our doorstep?!"

" _Do you have any idea how long I've been doing this? Or the methods I've procured in order to obscure my dastardly acts?_ "

"You've told me over a thousand times." She will not satisfy him by recounting them.

" _Good!_ " He gruffly replied. " _Do not let your drama with either side affect your faith in me."_ She frowned in hurt. _"We will be there in a matter of hours, we'll collect what we need, and then we'll all go home and drink till we're stupid."_

"Too late." She mumbled. Her glaring orbs widened with curiosity of the sparking device on the ground near the sailer.

" _What was that?"_

"I said I'll wait." She knelt to the device. "See you soon." She ended the call, inspecting the device. It was a tracking beacon. Tanya picked up the destroyed beacon. It wasn't shot. Something like a torch cut through it. _A torch? No..._ She brushed her fingers along the graze. The clean, effortless slice through blaster proof armor. The smooth edges of the burn pattern, lingering orange searing metal continue to melt and corrode. She knows this burn. She's seen it dozens of times. Left similar marks herself hundreds of times. "Jedi?! Here?!" She can play guessing games as to which Jedi was inside the Sheathipede. The ship surviving a death defying, near impossible crash landing was a branded signature of only one Jedi. "Please, force, tell me Skywalker isn't here!" Because if he's here, then that means-

Whirring engines knotted her insides. She prayed Hondo miscalculated how far he was from the planet. He's done it before. Whatever luck she had during the day was dried up. A republic transport in formation amongst three fighters was en route to her location. Tanya climbed in a hurry to a nearby hill, hiding amongst the bedrock of spikes. She poked her head out, ensuring to stay low as they landed. The heated wind of the turbines almost blew her over.

Clones leapt from the mounted fighters, setting up a defensive perimeter. Slick and Chopper immediately stood out to Tanya, wrenching at her. She pleaded that no one else near and dear exited the transport. Ahsoka, Rex, Cody and others dismounted from the transport, glaring at the vacant area. Tanya moaned in dismay, cursing the forces that be for working against her like this. Though, she will admit, it's good to see Ahsoka after all this time. She's been worried about her.

"Well, this is their ship. The fabulous landing must have been Master Skywalker." Ahsoka scoffed. Tanya rolled her eyes. Anakin's master landings can be picked out of a kind up. "The other ship must belong to the Count. They couldn't have gotten far." _THE COUNT?!_ Tanya cried. Dooku's on Vanqor too?! Can this day possibly get any worse. "Spread out and find them!" She ordered.

 **xxx**

Tanya truly, with every fiber of her being, hated her day. She'd rather be at Izumi's mercy right now. Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, and Anakin. Of all the people to be stuck on a planet with, why did it have to be these three? Why did there have to be Jedi at all?! The clones she can handle seeing. But the Jedi?! The devil as to how infuriated she is cannot be calculated. And to top it all off, it sounds like Dooku is close by. Someone in the other realm hates her.

"Agh...Soka…" She moaned. Why did it have to be her? She'd find this situation easier if one of the other three wandered off that ship. Not her best friend. Tanya watched her nostalgically, warmth pooling to her marred heart at the young girl leading the search team. She had a firm grip on things. Someone was slacking and Ahsoka literally kicked them into high gear. That baby face of her scrunching in anger at how lackadaisical Chopper, Sketch, and Jester were behaving in searching for her Masters. Tanya almost giggled at those thick lips pursing, and her big blue eyes trying to frown seriously. She used her big girl voice, puffing her lack thereof chest to encourage the troops to scour every inch of the area. Rex and Cody were certainly entertained, whistling impressed as she reined in her team. It pleased Tanya to see Ahsoka hasn't lost her fire. At the same time...she was sad.

"She's growing up…" Tanya's ears sank. "You're grown ng up, Ahsoka…" She edged forward, mouth parting as an urge to beckon her pulled. Then she bit her tongue. She can't go down there; reveal herself! Is she mad?! What would she say? What would Ahsoka say?! She's gone for months, never saying a word, and suddenly appears out of the blue to pretend like nothing happened. No. She can't do that to Ahsoka. Especially since she knows...Ahsoka will ask her to stay. "I can't do that to you...not twice." Tanya couldn't bear the thought of seeing her hurt. She needs to get out of there.

"Freeze!" A rifle barrel pressed at the back of her head. "Do not move, or I swear I'll paint the rocks with your blood." Tanya fumed through her nostrils, revoltingly rolling her eyes up. A clone trooper snuck up on her. Ahsoka is a bigger distraction than she recalls. His manner of speaking...it was Jesse. _Hey buddy._ "Get on your feet SLOWLY! Hands where I can see them!" Tanya complied. She slowly spread her hands, raising them shoulder height. Tanya gradually rose to her feet, digging in her left foot. Jesse's rifle bumped to the skull, confirming his close proximity. Jesse locked anxious eyes on the swords strapped to her back. His rifle slide down her neck to the middle of her shoulder blades. "Now, remove your-"

"Sorry, Jess!" Tanya spun on her left foot, grasping and yanking the rifle and Jesse forward. She switched feet, connecting the full crook of her left foot to the side of his head. _Please forgive me, Jesse._ Her time away has brought her to severely underestimate the clones. Jesse twisted and bounced off the wall on his back, lunging a punch into Tanya's cheek. She mounted against the strike, the blow twisting half her body back. Jesse drove a second punch for her stomach. Tanya blocked the punch, wrenching him around and throwing him for the ground. Jesse tucked and rolled, scooping up his rifle. He whipped around as Tanya encroached on him.

 **xxx**

The clones were spread thin, finding no sign or hair of Anakin, Obi-Wan,or Dooku. Ahsoka searched the ships for a clue as to where either could have gone. She found the destroyed tracking beacon. The Count tried to call for help, and it was thwarted. By the looks of the sheathipede, this was Anakin's handiwork. "And once again Master your fancy flying costs us another ship." She groaned frustrated. "Guess I can't be surprised." She can't wait to see the bill for this one. Shrieking blaster fire scared her out of her skin, her lightsaber igniting in a blink. The nearby clones rooted in place, ducking low with their blasters at the ready. "Where did that come from?!" Ahsoka leered harshly.

"COMMANDER! UP THERE!" Rex howled. Laser bolt flashes were coming from the hill. Stray rounds shot over their heads. Ahsoka, Rex, and Cody assumed their triangular formation, racing to investigate. Then they stopped.

A figure sprang from one rocky spire to the next, landing with unnatural precision to the points. Laser bolts shredded the air. The figure jerked her body left and right, up and down, eyes locked to the blaster hurtling the bolts at her. Jesse was hot on the figure's tail, firing bolt after bolt for her legs. The figure cartwheeled between the shots, effortlessly weaving mere seconds before Jesse's finger could squeeze the trigger. She ricocheted from rock to rock, grasping at skinny points to reel herself around in sharp turns. Jesse blindsided her with a throw of a thermal grenade. He waited for her next jump, activated the grenade, and let it fly. The figure's eyes widened as the grenade reached critical. She barely had a second on her landing. The blast, narrowly missing on a direct hit, sent her soaring shooting through the air, smoke trailing from her body. She winced one eye open, gasping at the rapidly approaching ground. She spun in midair, breaking her fall with a planted palm, diving into a roll. Her one knee scraped on her stop, landing her at the feet of Ahsoka, Rex, and Cody. She gulped sickly.

"Guess we found who owns that ship!" Ahsoka boasted, shifting into her stance. The blast charred bits of he clothing. Peeks at her skin showed burned marks that she'd be feeling for a while. The figure, Tanya, cursed this day. _So much for being stealthy._ The dispersed trooper reconvened on Ahsoka's location, locking their scopes on Tanya from all sides. Under different circumstances, Tanya would be snorting at these pitiful odds. Easily escapable. Seeing Ahsoka, Rex, Cody, SLICK AND CHOPPER - a handful of faces she's realized she's come to miss terribly have rooted her in place. And, incidentally, are tickling at her sadistic side. _You want me? You'll have to fight me?_ Seeing no other alternative she drew one of her swords, directing it at Ahsoka. _Let's see what you've got!_ "You want a duel?!" Ahsoka balked, scoffing skeptically at the challenge. Tanya nodded silently. "Fine!" She motioned a hand for the troops to lower their guns. "Maybe by beating you, Dooku will realize his lackies can't hold a candle to us!" Tanya choked on that stab. _I have NEVER been so insulted._

Tanya threw her second sword aside, ran a hand up both her boots and cast her hidden knives away. Ahsoka's guard lowered in her bewilderment. Taken aback by the nostalgically familiar motion. _Tanya hides knives in her boots._ Slick and Chopper raised brows too. Tanya, spying Ahsoka's distant gaze, mentally cursed herself for her habit. She flipped her sword hilt forward, shifting with the sword behind her back. He leading hand was balled into a fist. Ahsoka shook off her daze, mirroring her assailants stance with her lightsaber as the lead. The troopers backed away several feet. Rex and Cody warned them to keep their fingers near the trigger. Ahsoka and Tanya stalked one another in a circle, the searing lightning of the deadlocked glares sparking in a ferocious maelstrom. Not a sound was so much as uttered by either the troopers or the planet. The hollow breaths of wind spiraled the warriors, teasing their itchy sword hands. Ahsoka's adrenaline was at its peak, filling her blood with an insatiable urge to charge. Tanya nerves were buzzing rampantly, animating her longing to push Ahsoka to her limits. In the distance, a piece of rock broke, and the shatter resounded like thunder.

The troopers blinked. Sword and saber clashed, raining scalding sparks in every direction. Tanya and Ahsoka poured their weight pushing on the locked blades. Ahsoka's two hands to her saber paling under the strength of Tanya's one hand. Ahsoka dug in her heels, dragging Tanya back. Suddenly she stumbled forward. Tanya spun behind her, her sword wrenching the saber outward. A powerful kick connected with her back, sending her to a face full of dirt. Ahsoka spat up rocks and pebbles, growling with blushing cheeks. Tanya had to stifle a laugh. She hates to admit it, but that was pretty funny. Ahsoka, frothing at the mouth, returned the favor with scaling kicks up Tanya's knee, waste, and ending with a roundhouse kick to her head. Tanya landed on her back, willing to admit she rightfully deserved that. She curled in and sprang onto her feet, dusting herself off. Ahsoka howled rabidly, lightsaber held like a jousting rode. Tanya flourished her sword, swatting Ahsoka's saber as it thrust for her ribs. Ahsoka continued her onslaught, the agility of her nimble form putting Tanya under her unrelenting fury. A barrage of strikes coming from every direction. Tanya nearly tripped over her own rapidly staggering feet, repelling Ahsoka's blind attacks with a single hand. Needless to say, her arm was getting tired. Her hand was going numb.

 _To think those sticks actually have muscle!_ Tanya snorted. Enough toying around. Ahsoka axed her saber down. Tanya stretched her sword overhead. The saber was caught, and Tanya jabbed a swift kick into Ahsoka's stomach. White hot pain shot through her abdomen. Her saber fell from her grasp. Tanya stabbed her sword the ground. She trailed blunt palm strikes from her waist to her shoulders, sending Ahsoka stumbling with an elbow to the cheek. The Togruta shook off the blow, retaliating with a furious volley of punches and kicks. Tanya effortlessly blocked the blows, choking on air at the landed blows to her remarkably tender ribs. The price of their injuries a while ago. Ahsoka dropped and swept a foot, robbing Tanya's feet from under her. She saved herself on her hands, swinging both feet into Ahsoka's side. She skipped on protruded rock, grazes tearing into her skin. Tanya spat at the ground, astonished by the blood in her saliva. _Seriously. She's gained some muscle._ Tanya mocked.

"Commander!" Rex cried.

"STAY THERE!" Ahsoka seethed, unbridled rage seeping from every pore on her body. She peeled herself off the ground, spitting venomously. Tanya swallowed a large lump. She didn't think Ahsoka could look so scary. "I can handle this thing! She doesn't stand a chance against me!" Tanya held her spinning head, kindling under pressure crushing her in a vice. Ahsoka's every breath excited the rocks and loose gravel around her, the area becoming increasingly heavy. Yet a lightness was felt, gathering up Tanya's hair and cloak. Rocks floated by her, as if gravity itself were being undermined.

 _Uh-oh!_ A bead of sweat clung to Tanya's brow. "CALM DOWN!" She begged.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" Ahsoka planted her feet and thrust her palm with all her might. Tanya dug her feet, throwing up her arms. The push bombarded over her in a monstrous gust, grooves dug in the rock as she refused to yield. The ground was slowly parting from her feet. Tanya stomped forward. Minor pulses chipping at Ahsoka's anger fueled strength. It's a wonder she hasn't tired herself out yet. Tanya was able to breathe as Ahsoka lost steam in her failed push. Then Ahsoka used both hands this time, conjuring a second pulse to whisk the assassin off her feet. Tanya braced herself and poured her weight forward. The oppressive wall of power smashed into her like an out of control freight. Cosmetically, Tanya was holding her own. Underneath it all, however, her insides were being shredded by Ahsoka's fury. Right to the bone did her limbs turn gelatinous. Each beat of her stressed heart sending painful coils shooting through her entire body. Her veins and airways were inflaming.

Tanya's strength was waning under Ahsoka. If she doesn't think of an idea fast, she will be rendered immobile. Dying at the hands of her best friend, or on such a pathetic backwater planet would kill her worse than anything. In her heart, she didn't want to hurt Ahsoka. However, her pride will not allow her to lose her. Her pupils narrowed to grey slits. Ahsoka saw the change in her eyes, hands dropping in utter shock. _It can't be!_ Tanya unleashed a vicious feline mewl, prying her arms apart. A huge pulse exploded from her, throwing Ahsoka's own force right back and knocking her off her feet. Tanya, in turn was also sent flying into a boulder, collapsing as her breath was robbed from her.

The clone troopers gawked in breathless awe. None spoke a word, or so much as looked away as both girls lied on the ground. It wasn't the stalemate, however, that had them petrified. "You all saw that right?" Cody whispered.

"Saw what?!" Rex was reluctant to say. He isn't sure what he saw.

"That blast…" Slick encroached, "That was…" It's not possible.

Ahsoka choked on the dust that shot into her throat, flipping onto her stomach and prying herself off the coarse ground. "The force?" She panted dryly. That girl...there's no mistaking it...she repelled Ahsoka with a repulse. But no one except Jedi or those with the force can do that. "She can't be…" Ahsoka has to see. Who is it behind that mask?

The masked figure was unconscious against the boulder, groaning dazedly. Rex and Cody had their men surround the defeated figure, keeping their guns trained. Dogma went to Ahsoka, lending her a hand. "We await your orders, Commander."

"R-Right…" She moaned. She motioned a hand for them to wait. She trained her scrupulous gaze on her obscured face. She has to see under it. Ahsoka crept closer, her heart pounding against her tiny chest. She constantly held her breath. The closer her hand drew to the hood and mask, the faster her mind would spin. The impossibility of who was behind that mask screaming at the back of her thoughts. Deep in the recesses of her wavering heart, she was terrified of the face she would see. _Let it be a stranger,_ she wished. _Tanya...is it you,_ she then desired. She wants it to be Tanya, at the same time she hopes it's a stranger. The tips brushed to the edge of the hood, soon the fingers hooked on. There was no turning back now.

Tanya frightened her by latching her hand to her wrist. Rex, Cody, and the troops locked their guns to her, daring her to so much as twitch. Tanya snickered behind the mask. "To think the day would come where you'd best me." Ahsoka's eyes widened, glossed by encroaching tears, her mouth hanging open. The troopers gasped at her voice, lowering their guns. "Guess I can't bring myself to be furious with you, can I?" She removed Ashoka's hand, bringing her own to the hood. She slowly peeled it away, downing the holographic hood. Her ears flicked upward, frayed ebony hair wafting in the light wind, and purple eyes batting to the gawk, abjectly stunned faces surrounding her.

"Tanya…?" Ahsoka squeaked, a lone tear running down her cheek.

"Um...surprise?" She cringed.

 **To be continued**


	12. Time to Change Tactics

**Time to Change Tactics**

 _A change in methods is often necessary_

 **xxx**

Mouths hung agape with pure astonishment beaming in the eyes of Izumi's glued crowd. No one - not even the notoriously unshakable Aurra Sing - dared to breath, blink, or twitch under the certainty they'd jostle themselves from an illusion they were assured was projecting. She expected this sort of reaction. How could she not? So she said it again, this time with a commanding yet tender tone so they would heed her without hesitation. This is a matter where holding on to doubts and trepidations will steal this long sought opportunity from their fingers, and send them plummeting back to the bottom of nothing where their prestigious Bounty Hunter Creed began.

"51 hours ago, according to The Creed's intelligence, the lair of the Crimson Knights may have been discovered." The group felt thunder strike their backs. Shrill gongs resounded in their ears, bringing their skeptical minds from their trance. The urge to pinch one's self tugged at the rational Carver. Impossibility isn't within the parameters of a scientist. Those in his field live in the realm of impossible, thusly working to drive it towards the realm of possible. This held duplicitous intents at best. Scroop felt a similar resilience to take Izumi at her word. She wished for them to believe, after generations of Hunter and Knights have come and gone, each one coming no closer than the last at having uprooted the cowardly armored mercenaries, that suddenly they had the location of their base in their possession. Boba and Aurra have been privy many a time to the far fetched falling into their laps, then pressing into a full blown fire fight in order to keep it. Aurra killed friend and foe alike to not lose something so vital. Boba charged his way through, a bit more subtle than his mentor. This news, however, might make him go searching for the scouts and prying the information out of them.

"They found the base of the Knights?! Where?!" Scroop urgently pressed.

"Possibly have found!" Izumi stressed, confirming as fact that there are no guarantees this information will hold. So often is their intelligence made incorrect due to the resources available to the Knights. "Intelligence has yet to confirm. We await their final report in three hours."

"How? Where? When?" Boba threw question after question.

The Knights have been underground for years, mirroring the moves of The Creed. Lying in wait and biding their time, taking on the guise of the everyday person - guard, politician, homeless person, Jedi - in order to obscure and safeguard themselves. The Knight's have proven they have a finger in every branch of society. Not merely putting themselves in a position to where they will not be detected, but fully immersing themselves in the role so that every one of their enemies - including themselves - believed in their rouse. The Creed chose to put themselves in lower ranks of society, finding no need to throw themselves to the wolves when they can merely learn the numbers and habits of the pack.

Izumi crossed her arms and legs, released a disturbed growl under her breath. The eerie air around her told the ogling group that this information is paying a heftier price than she would care to admit. Casualties are commonplace in their line of work. The numbers skyrocketing because of the war raging in every sector of the Outer Rim. Izumi is cold, calculating, and a tactician on the highest order. The original second when Jango was number one. A mantel she voluntarily doffed, unwillingly to serve under anyone other than the man she revered and loved more than her own self. Embo and Cad Bane holding those slots curdled her stomach, but it is a reality she has come to accept. But digressing to her unflattering attributes, she mourned the losses The Creed and those associated with them were suffering. In short, nothing and no one was spared in order to grasp at the very thin straws of information they've acquired.

"It was not the most amicable of accomplishments we have had." Izumi grudgingly admitted. "Though...I can't say it is an accomplishment. Considering, when last I spoke with our informants, they narrowed the list to 50 possible planets." 50?! 50 planets?! Which planets? What sector? Are they the correct planets? Are they decoys? How can they be sure the 50 planets they've isolated aren't a ruse? So many factors to consider, elements to account for. 50 planets beats the 79 that were identified previously, but it left an acid taste in their mouths. The doubts filled the room with a daunting pressure. The vehicles could have been to blame, but the windows were rumbling ominously. "Before you disparage these results, I must remark this is the good news. What I have to say next...has our benefactors one edge."

The elusive Benefactors of The Hunter's Creed. Unknown, never seen, never heard, and yet everywhere at once. The judge, jury, and executioners of the unfaithful ad disloyal. None can escape their watchful gaze, nor their swift and righteous hand of justice. No Hunter, not even Jango, Embo, Izumi, or Cad Bane themselves dare to step on their toes. "When has it not?" Carver countered grimly.

Izumi had no choice but to agree. Anytime they drew close to the Knights, an unfortunate event costing them manpower would send them back leagues from their goal, forcing them to begin anew. As a result, The Benefactors have grown impatient with them. "Aetha, Incarces, the jails on Coruscant - the number of Knights being revealed, and the locations they chosen to roost upon are climbing. Annalise Vanderpool has been effectively eliminated, but her partner Thrax is on the loose."

"Yes, I heard about Incarces and Aetha." Carver muttered, stroking his smooth beard perturbed. "Kashjeen Amatooli - Tanya's murderous Uncle and Former Adviser to Queen Milan of Aquatis - was recently recruited and sent to kill her." Needless to say, in his fit of mania, he failed drastically. In that failure, tormented by his actions, he placed a gun into his mouth and ended his life. A coward to the bitter end. "On Incarces, Annalise and Thrax went to retrieve Keith Lightraide. A Knight who long resigned himself from the Mercenary Pack and chose to live his own life. That being said, one from on high required him to return." In doing so, operatives of their order were implanted and executed their takeover of the prison flawlessly. What they neglected to account for were Admiral Tarkin - The Race Slayer - and Tanya being present. Soon followed by the Republic Army.

"I thought the Knights were there for Finis Valorum." Boba remarked. "Annalise wanted him dead because her brother was part of the same program Tanya was weaseled in. Lightraide helped plan it so no more would be sent his way to be dealt with."

"A partial pretense." Aurra confirmed. "Valorum was a target, but Lightraide was the one they wanted."

"But why? What's so important about Lightraide that they'd risk going after him?" Boba only knows of him because Tanya mentioned him in a fit at having missed a target. Other than that, he's never heard of him.

"Lightraide is a shadow member of the Knights." Izumi explained. "Someone who worked directly behind Baron Par Ceius. A tactician of the highest caliber." Par Ceius' name chilled the room to the sub zero temperatures. Baron Par Ceius - the head of the snake, and always able to sprout another when one if loped off. Rumors of his continuously spread and change, causing a hysteria throughout the universe that causes a sole person to hide away at the very mention of him. An immortal, a God, a Jedi, or a monster. Whatever he is, he's survived centuries without worry of them ever coming to an end. "Lightraide ensured The Baron's survival. Able to plot moves days in advance."

"If he's so smart how was he caught so easily?" Scroop challenged.

"Precisely the very question that has us monitoring him every second of every day."

"That's if Alexei isn't also watching." Aurra countered. "Remember, he's locked up with Lightraide. Both on Coruscant serving life sentences."

"Lightraide is waiting for a trial, but yes. He'll likely get life."

"What does all of this mean?" Boba's head was whirling in a tundra. "All these planets, all these operatives - why does it seem like they're coming out of hiding?"

"Because they are, Boba." Scroop rumbled troubled. "The Knights are rising from their own ashes. Rebuilding, regrouping, and reorganizing."

"There's a plot afoot." Carver declared. "A plot that we can only surmise the results coveted."

"The Destruction of The Creed." Boba finished ominously. And come Hell or high water, The Knights are masters at getting what they want.

 **xxx**

Ahsoka, Rex, Cody, Chopper, Slick - the incredulity was rife amongst Skywalker and Kenobi's favored battalion. Ahsoka kept her lightsaber ignited, though her wavering sense of reality quaked her stance. The Clone Troopers maintained a finger around their trigger, but the barrels were gliding further and further towards Vanqor's bone dry soil. The awestruck gazes striving for a rational explanation, breathless mouths hanging agape, unnerved an anxiously laughing Tanya. The way they were ogling her, you'd think she'd died and come right back to life. In hindsight, that's most likely the case. As she was boggled down their shifting looks of mistrust, those voices in the back of their minds screaming that Tanya must be a mirage or changeling or other form of illusion, Tanya reluctantly acknowledged that...she hasn't put much thought into a reunion with anyone from Coruscant. Why would she? She's done an outstanding job these past few months staring out of their crosshairs and the crosshairs of the Confederacy. Not Dooku, Mace, or anyone she'd become acquainted with - every single resource at their disposal - was able to track her down. One of the perks at having international criminals, A Chairman, and A Duchess as close friends. But, as Master Yoda was fond of grilling into a young Jedi's mind, the future is always changing. Fate's design adapting to those changes. If something is meant to be, avoiding it will only ensure it's outcome. That outcome was not any less painful than Tanya anticipated, but the superficial wounds paled to what she felt inside. The utter guilt and remorse at having literally vanished into thin air. No word as to how she was or if she was even alive. By the looks she was enduring, there was faith in her survival accompanied by a dire need to physically verify. Well, no sense in trying to find a smooth way out of this.

"Pfft. You said you can't be surprised anymore?" Tanya chortled, braving the gap to the cringing Padawan. "I'd say you can still be surprised." She smirked.

"Tanya?!" Ahsoka managed a squeak. That's progress.

"In the flesh, Gruta." Tanya winked charmingly. She pressed a palm to the crown of her head tails. The touch sent jolts surging through Ahsoka's bones, tears burning to run down her cheek. Tanya touched foreheads. A loving glow radiated in her eyes. "You've actually gotten taller." She purred.

"TANYA!" Ahsoka tossed her saber aside, tackling Tanya to the ground in a hug. "IT'S YOU, IT'S YOU, IT'S YOU!" The two were in a fit of laughter, squealing and Ahsoka heartily cheering at being able to hold her best friend again. Tanya tried to wrestle her off. For 90 pounds the girl has an amazing grip. "Tanya! I can't believe you're here!" The Clone Troopers were ripped out of their stupor, finally relaxing. A few sincerely began to doubt what they saw was real. But the scene before them was damning. Imagine their abject shock at seeing Tanya Fett on the ground at the mercy of Ahsoka.

"Hiya, Boys. Miss me?" Tanya saluted with two fingers. Slick and Chopper shoved past their fellow troopers, lost for words. They pulled off their helmets, assuring themselves that it wasn't a trick behind a confined screen. It wasn't an illusion. Tanya was lying there, in front of them, trying to pry Ahsoka off of her. She smiled regretfully at the gawking Troopers, unable to find the right words to say to them.

"Where have you been?!" Ahsoka finally got off, hoisting her to her feet. "What are you doing here?!"

"I should be asking you guys that?!" Tanya's aware wars have a tendency to stretch. But out here was just ridiculous. "How the Hell do you drag your war with the Sepies all the way out here to Vanqor ?"

"We were chasing Count Dooku. Trying to capture him!"

"Dooku?!" Tanya's surprise was enacted and yet very real. She'd overheard communications between Ahsoka and the Troopers regarding Dooku's crash landing here. She gazed uncomfortably to the Solar Sailor. It wasn't the Count's presence that was numbing her spine. It's the fact she hadn't sensed the Count even remotely since arriving. She'd be able to pick him out of a crowd from the tallest towers on a normal day. Now...she can barely sense Ahsoka standing two feet away. _Why can't I sense them?_

"Commander!" Dogma aggressively interjected, leading Ahsoka away by the forearm. She was embarrassed and pleaded for Tanya to give her a second. She wasn't in any sort of hurry. At least not yet.

Slick bashfully approached Tanya, extending ah and for a firm shake. Tanya blushed, happy to accept. "Where-the-Hell-have-you-BEEN?!" Chopper sucker punched her to the ground then jumped on her, putting her in a headlock. Slick, Rex, and the others were dumbstruck by the assault. While they knew they should pry Chopper off, this is a scene they've come to miss. "YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST LEAVE BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE IT AND NOT SAY ANYTHING?!" His arms tightened, squeezing the circulation dry.

"I...DO…" Tanya shifted her body, snaking her leg around him. "That's...why...I DID IT!" With a mighty roar she flipped Chopper over, tangling her legs with his and putting him in her own lock. Her amphibious strength overwhelmed him. "And do not imagine that means you can beat me, Chop!"

"BRING IT ON...PUSSYCAT!" Chopper surprised her by rolling her onto her back. Her grip loosened and her bashed the back of his head to her nose. Chopped twisted round, driving a fist into her cheek. Tanya stopped the next punch then drilled her own into his nose.

"Commander, it is outrageously against protocol to speak of military operations to a civilian!" Dogma rapidly whispered. He and Ahsoka gawked briefly at the tussle bombarding past them. Rex and Cody shooed it off, assuring them nothing was wrong. Meanwhile Jesse, Hardcase, and Sketch were placing bets on who would win. Waxer and Boil threw in.

"Except she's not a civilian." Ahsoka jadedly protested. Tanya was tossed like a sack to the dirt. Chopper attempted a piledriver. Tanya rolled away, laughing at his elbow cracking, then lifted him with the force and sending him hurtling into Jesse and Hardcase. Slick couldn't resist and screamed, _STRIKE!_ Needless to say, Tanya was the smarter wager. Ahsoka stifled a giggle, returning to the uppity and uptight trooper. "Master Windu still considers her his Padawan, and the council has yet to revoke her padawan status. Not to mention the senate has officially declared her anything other than... _taking a vacation._ " As unbelievable as it sounds, Tanya wasn't exiled from the Republic or forbidden from interacting with it's people.

"Even so, she is awol!"

"No! She was given the option to leave - no mandated term - and she hasn't opted to come back! Former Chancellor Valorum said as much!" Ahsoka checked to ensure Tanya wasn't eavesdropping. She was strolling to the solar sailer in a daze. "Tanya is our friend! An ally we can trust! Stop selling her short because she chose her previous life over us!" Ahsoka bit on her declaration, ending their conversation then and there. She stormed over to the dazed Tanya, ordering the ogling troopers to return to their search.

Dogma growled in the back of his throat, sneering hostilely at the ogling feline. "It's because she chose to be a hunter that she should not be trusted." Dogma seethed through his teeth at Ahsoka's proclamation. The holes in her logic are numerous. Especially since Valorum's decree and Windu's wish are not even a portion of the rumors.

Tanya pretended not to notice the clones were dispersing. No doubt running to look for their generals in the quarry. _Try the caves._ Tanya thought with a dark smile. The delicious music of their screams as the Gundarks inhabiting the caves tore their limbs, and feasted upon their flesh. She licked her lips hungrily. Amethyst pupils shading abysmal grey, pupils narrowing to demonic slits. _If there's anything left, that is._ She caught herself chuckling evilly, coming back to herself. Ahsoka drew closer, prompting her self serving malicious smirk to not show outwardly. _Let's play this in stride._ "This solar sailer…" Tanya hummed sickly, sucking nervously on her lips, "This is Dooku's."

"Afraid so." Ahsoka moaned. The apprehension was strong in Tanya. Siding the nervousness was he dislike of Ahsoka's impulsive excitement at a Sith Lord being so close. Finally, a chance to be able to stand toe to toe with Yoda's Lost Apprentice. Barriss unwittingly was able to meet the renowned Fallen Jedi face to face, and was in no hurry for a second meeting. Tanya wished Ahsoka shared their reluctance. Her contempt was secluded to the Masters solely. Knowing the Count was so close by, her every instinct begged her to take Ahsoka far away. Dooku would be able to kill her without blinking, or sweating.

"How the Hell did this happen?! Why are the Separatists and Republic anywhere near the Vanqor System?!" She barked. While this reunion is meant to be happy, Tanya cannot hide the disdain at the war reaching her Uncle's System. Hondo is a master when it come to smuggling, ambushes, and the occasional sieges. But war was far out of his forte.

"A long story." Ahsoka went into gory detail in regards to an intelligence report of Count Dooku's last known sightings near the ice fields surrounding Vanqor. In an effort to finally capture the Count and bring their war one step closer to ending, Obi-Wan and Anakin devised a plan to draw him out. Needless to say, the plan worked. But with a strong drawback. Anakin was the lucky winner to be chosen to be captured by Dooku to bring him out in the open. He boarded the Munificent-class star frigate's hangar, and was ambushed by battle droids, promptly defeated and taken to a prison cell. With Ahsoka in tow, Obi-Wan tracked down the frigate and infiltrated it in order to rescue Anakin. The pair soon made their way to Dooku's quarters to finally apprehend him, only for him to escape through a hatch leading to the hangar and escaped. One thing led to another, and The Count's Sailer and Obi-Wan and Anakin's ship are on a one way crash course near the crystal caves of Vanqor. "Now we're here looking for the masters and the Count."

Tanya smashed her hands to her face, running jagged fingers through her shortened hair. "Billions of planets...BILLIONS! And they have to come here…" The sensation of insects crawling over her skin, those prongs burrowing relentlessly into her skull, roused bile to her mouth. Then a familiar chill snaked her spine. Like coarse, withered fingers stroking down the center of her back. Tendrils of electricity standing her hairs on end. She whipped around, petrified orbs darting from one jagged spire to the next. No one was there. But that doesn't mean they aren't hiding. _He's here...where?!_ She can sense him! Dread filled her stomach. She can sense Dooku after being blind to him. _He knows I'm here._ He's daring her to come after him.

Ahsoka twirled a short lock of her ebony hair. "I like the new look. When'd you do it?" She eyed the all new apparel she wore. It was flattering.

"Months ago after Incarses." Tanya pet the shortened locks. She can still feel the frayed edges from when she cut it. "I was...going to begin anew at something I'm good at. I needed to cleave the previous life off." However short it was.

Ahsoka understands. If Tanya hadn't removed the hood, she might never have recognized her. Taking another glance, Ahsoka still doesn't. The person next to her looks, and feels, like a stranger. "I can't believe you're still alive!" She gasped, wanting to divert from her negative thoughts.

"What do you mean? You really think I died?" She snorted, moderately offended.

Ahsoka pursed her lips in a pout. "Seven months! No word! Not even a postcard! What was I supposed to think?!" She placed a hand at her chest.

"Um, that maybe - JUST MAYBE - that I was trying not to be found! That I don't want the hover squad coming to drag me back!" The hover squad being The Jedi Council, and or those who have a close bond with Tanya. Ahsoka, Barris, Jar-Jar, Slick, Chopper, D3 her mech. There's quite a handful. "That I really don't want to see hide nor bald head of Mace Windu! That ever cross your mind?!" She shrieked.

"Of course it did, but you could have at least called me or Barriss just so we know you're alright!" She barked back. Tanya doesn't seem to grasp how worried she's been. How she'd wake up at night thinking Tanya came home.

"No offense, but you and Barriss run on guilt trips!" Ahsoka scoffed at the notion. She's honestly calling them loose lipped. A switched flicked on and Tanya sensed Ahsoka's dislike. Hers wasn't the only one. Dogma's discontent with Tanya, Jesse still on edge at having encountered her, Slick and Chopper's welling anger and glee. The emotions of everyone around were open to her again. _That's better._ Why it stopped was a mystery. "Tell me you would have kept my calls secret from Mace or anyone else! Say it with a straight face!" She dared. Ahsoka opened her mouth to say it so...then fell silent with regret. "Thought so. But that doesn't mean I never wanted to." She rumbled, placing a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "I've wanted to peek in every once in awhile, see how you all were doing. Say hi. To be honest...I didn't know what to say. I literally left without a word."

"Yeah...you did…" Ahsoka wrapped her arms to herself. "Representative Binks cried when he found out." She said with a half laugh. Tanya groaned miserably. She made him cry. Greta. "We really do miss you, Tanya. All of us. Especially Master Windu."

"I'm sure." Tanya turned on her heels, marching to the sheathipede. "Kind of hard to watch a perp when they're out of your reach."

"You're not a perp. You're one of us! And he thinks about you all the time, you know!" She snapped, marching on her heels. "One day I found him meditating in the gardens and he thought you walked up behind him." Tanya astonishment was increased when she was wrenched around, forced to meet Ahsoka's glossing eyes. "Do you have any idea how broken he was when he realized you weren't ever going to round those halls anymore?!"

As amazing as it was that Windu was thinking about her, she shook off Ahsoka's grip heatedly, leering with abject rage. "He should have thought about that before Grievous gave me that recording!" Of all the places for the truth to come from, it had to be one of Dooku's lackeys.

"That's just it! Grievous did this! Why aren't you furious with him?!"

"You don't think I am?! I want nothing more than to dismantle that bastard!

"Then why is all your anger directed at Master Windu and the others?!"

"BECAUSE THEY KNEW AND NEVER SAID A WORD!" He shouts echoed across the barren planet. The clones stopped in their tracks, straining an ear, and gazing from their corners of their eyes. Tanya's adrenaline was running on overdrive. Her ears falling with her shielding. "They...knew...FOR-MONTHS! They made me think they cared, that they trusted me, and that I had a future amongst them!" She laughed disgusted at the folly. "Lo and behold, that future was going end in nine months when a committee of _unbiased_ senators would vote to spare me or arrest me again. AFTER I WAS ACQUITTED!"

"Tanya, you don't know-"

"Yes I do!" Tanya yanked Ahsoka's hand out, slapping a drive into her palm. "The proof is in here!" Ahsoka shook her head, confused by what this would hold. Tanya pulled her in close, bringing her ear to her lips. "Three months, and none of you ever saw me." Ahsoka gasped gobsmacked. Tanya slowly pulled away, running her thumb under Ahsoka's glossy eyes. No more needs to be said. Tanya's choice was absolute. She won't postpone this agony any longer. "It's time I got going. I'm meeting with someone soon." Ahsoka wanted to protest, but knew it would be fruitless. She gave a short nod to each of the clones present, wishing them the best. As much as it hurt a few - Chopper and Slick especially - they had to let her go. Tanya would leave them with this. "The cave lets out eight miles on the other side on the west side. If you get there, I'm sure the poison gas or gundark won't kill Obi-Wan or Anakin." She chirped impishly.

"Poison gas?!" Rex cried.

"Gundark?!" Cody's face dropped.

"Have a nice night!" Tanya cackled, sprinting for the cliffside.

"TANYA, WAIT!" But she was gone. One graceful leap up the protruding formations and Tanya vanished. Ahsoka sank in complete disbelief. Poison gas and Gundarks, and Tanya leaves without another word. Why does none of this surprise her? Because it's Tanya. She lives for making people's lives difficult. Precisely why she loves her.

"Still think we can trust her?" Dogma contested.

"Egh...she's always been iffy." Ahsoka shrugged.

"That doesn't answer my question." He braved.

"Because I shouldn't have to answer it." Ahsoka warned in a dull growl. Dogma was taken aback. Ahsoka assembled the troops and gave them their destination. There's no reason to question Tanya's loyalty. She knew she could trust her without hesitation. _Take care…_ Then another thought came to Ahsoka. "How does she know where the caves let out? Or about the dangers?"

 **xxx**

Tanya lingered a moment longer to watch Ahsoka command the troops on her own. It really warms her to see how much Ahsoka has grown. The confidence she shows when left in charge of a team. She's glad that confidence wasn't vaporized by that botched assault on the Ryloth Blockade a while back. That was a catastrophe. One that clearly helped her emerge from her cocoon of doubt and spread the wings the clones would be able to stand on. Good. She doesn't have to worry anymore. Now, Tanya can turn her attention to the darkness roving the cliffs.

Vanqor's spanning wasteland has to be a pleasant jaunt through parks. A straight shot leading to virtually anywhere and nowhere all at once. The hills, caves, and cliffs are where the real dangers reside. The caves run as deep as the planet's core - or so exaggerated rumors would have you believe. Entering those caves with not the slightest inkling as to how to navigate them beckons death, or the possibility of lost sanity. Likely both. They are the reason the word labyrinth was introduced into the common tongue. The cliffs and hills were mildly named. They were mountains blemishing the planet's surface. Jagged rocks notorious for tearing crashing ships apart to their most basic of components. Unstable foundations that will drop you dead into the caves below. The treacherous climbs they bode leave anyone, regardless of physique, winded and fatigued. It isn't uncommon for those not native to become lost in the midst of the towering rocks. Naturally one would climb them in order to get a better view of their situation, only to discover they've either come to an entirely different side or they've gone higher and can't get back down.

Luckily, Boba and Tanya were trained on Vanqor as kids. And punished here as well. The caves and cliffs were nothing more than a playground for them. They'd be able to navigate the whole planet blindfolded. Tanya might as well be blindfolded. Wouldn't be the first time. But that is off topic. There was an oppressive disturbance in the force. Dook was everywhere at once, and seemed to be nowhere. She'd round a formation, hand on her sword in anticipation of his appearance. A four legged critter would be the one to greet, hiss, and then leave her. A rustle of pebbles stood the hairs up on her neck, a crack of stone ushered a devastating force push. She was coming undone at the thought of meeting him. Tanya cursed herself for being so paranoid. When did she allow Dooku to make her so jumpy? He might not even be on this side of the cliffs. He could be in the caves, about to be eaten or gassed, for all she knew. Maybe her vacation from the order has put her in this state.

"This is ridiculous…" She seethed under her breath. Her senses were the sharpest of anyone she could name. Flinching at every turn like some chick fresh out of the egg. What would Jango say? Hondo? Mace…? "GRR!" She punched her head. _I don't care what he thinks._ Her eyes slowly opened again, derision at her slipping skill gnawing at her. Or so the figure creeping behind her would like her to think! In on rapid motion she spun, sword leaving the sheath and humming glow aligning the razor edge. A red blade collided with the sword, sparks shrieking everywhere. A gust of stray force energy wafted the daunting brown cloak. Her face twisted at the adoring chuckle reverberating from Count Dooku.

"Well done, well done! Your senses have not dulled!" He guffawed charmingly.

"Your opinion means so much, Count!" She hissed with disgust. Billions...of...PLANETS!

 **xxx**

The time was drawing closer when Izumi and company would finally have the long sought information they coveted. The location of where their most hated of enemy has chosen as their base. Once in their hands, a plan involving an all out assault was on the precipice of their next move. Minding themselves, it will need to be a thoroughly planned, all bases covered, entry and exit strategy of the tightest security assault. But an assault nonetheless. Bringing an end to the Knights is not merely out of a whimsy, flight of fancy, or as simple as eliminating a generational enemy. No. Ridding the universe of The Knights will mean...the marks they bore binding them to The Creed will become nothing more than body art. A dream every person drawn into this battle has longed for.

As much as it pained him to be the pessimist, Carver had to ask, "Say the information doesn't pan out. That the locations we find are nothing but fronts." By the frozen contempt on Izumi's features, this is an anxiety she's been clinging to. "How do we go about countering this subterfuge?"

"The same way we always have." Aurra answered. "We take what we have, scrounge, and then follow the crumbs to the feast awaiting us!" She licked her lips hungrily. "Every planet they've lured us to, everywhere we've encountered the rats - the places to hide are running slim!" Aurra can practically feel them in her grasp, and feel their necks breaking. The terror that will be frozen to their faces makes her womanhood tingle. "They won't be able to run from us forever. We will corner them. And we will kill them!"

"Why don't we try a different approach?" Scroop proposed. He's honestly still confused as to what Hondo ever saw in this woman. "One that has not been attempted in some time. Asking a Knight." Carver and Boba paused with notable skepticism. Izumi maintained her silence.

Aurra threw her head back, howling with laughter. Scroop eyed her, solidifying how serious he was about his plan. "You are as dense as the prosthetics that make up your body!" She hooted. "Knights sooner end their lives before speaking against their own! Where in the universe did you send your head for this proposal?"

"To the maximum security prisons of Coruscant." He answered firmly.

Boba gasped with an epiphany. "Lightraide and Alexei…" He breathed.

Scroop nodded. "One of them has to know." And given their predicament, they aren't in any sort of position to refuse them.

"The problem is they are both kept in the same maximum security prison Tanya was in." Boba warned him. He knows the ins and outs of that prison. As well as the protocols in place to _protect_ their most volatile of prisoners. "No way we're getting anywhere near them by means of a break in. They get moved around so frequently it's hard to pinpoint them. And NO WAY is Tanya going to be captured twice!"

"It may not have to come to that." Izumi assured him. Her glare at the mention of her capture unnerved Boba that he said too much. "Until then, we'll have to rely on other ways of getting to them."

"If it will be necessary." Carver added to counter his previous negativity. "If our intel pans out, then there will be no need for them." He glanced to Scroop. "But we will keep them in our back pocket." Scroop nodded gratefully. Aurra scuffed heatedly, unable to believe the idiocy of this group[. Boba had that terrible feeling that Tanya's trip was about to be cut short.

 **xxx**

Tanya dug in on the balls of her feet, both hands locking her sword flush to Dooku's blade. Irritatingly, he was fending her strength with one hand, taking delight in his superior masculine strength. He'd better wait till she's older. She'll be able to beat Vos in arm wrestling. Nevertheless, she was not deterred under him. If anything, he was a welcomed distraction. "Well, well. This is a delightful surprise." Dooku chuckled, edging closer. He put his weight on the saber, inching Tanya back a couple steps. She's baffled by how such an old man is so strong. "It HAS been quite a while, Tanya Fett, since you and I crossed blades." His hungry stare absorbed her quaking form. "I approve of your new ensemble. Very complementary to the real you."

"Step down from that high horse of yours! You haven't the slightest idea of the real me!" She weaved back to draw him in, then slashed her sword, repelling him. She dealt a quick kick to his stomach then jumped a safe distance away.

Dooku coughed on the saliva lodged in his throat, massaging his throbbing abdomen. "On the contrary, I'm probably the only person who TRULY knows you, and understands the demons you carry." He purred.

On cue, Tanya's eyes briefly shifted grey to purple. "One of them really wants me to cleave your skin from your face and paste it to one of these rocks!"

"Very macabre." He took to his gentleman stance, a hand folded behind his back. "And very like the killer you are." He approached his with his saber out to the side.

"GET-BACK!" Tanya ripped her second sword from the sheath. Dooku stopped mid stride, then retreated half a step back. He scrutinized her grip on the sword. With how she was shaking, he was confident she would be less than effective in a duel. He could more than likely rip the sword from her grasp. It would certainly apply pressure to her inferiority to him. But where is the fun if she does not try. "Take another step...and you'll be investing in some false limbs!" And he'd better not doubt that she'd leave him with nubs on this planet.

"Oh my, how terrifying. I get the feeling you aren't happy to see me." He mocked with a baby coo. Tanya growled rabidly, bearing her fangs. She flourished her blades, warming the circulation in her tautly balled fingers. Dooku tilted his head curiously. "A most interesting choice of weaponry. Might I inquire as to where you acquired them? They are quite fascinating."

"Let's just say their previous owner won't need them anymore!" Annalise was being devoured by maggots presently. Dooku admired her secrecy, and the humming edge of the blades. A very clever modification. Perhaps lacking the same destructive power as the lightsabers she is trying to mimic. "What are you doing here, Dooku? Why would you even come here? Of all places!"

"It is a free system." For now, was his inward response. "I was under the impression I was free to come and go as I please."

"Or maybe that crash landing you made didn't leave you many options!"

Dooku's smirk only widened. She hates that smile. "Shall I leave it to your imagination? In spite of your knowledge that I never go anywhere without a strategy." He taunted. True as it may be, Tanya doesn't buy it. Not for an instance. On purpose or on accident, someone in Dooku's position would never set foot on a backwater planet like Vanqor. Much less stay here. Not unless… _The broken homing beacon...the damage._ Her eyes widened. "You're stranded." For the first time in their dance, Tanya sensed disconcertion from Dooku. The ever so slight twitch by his nose betraying his irritation. She slapped a wrist to her eyes, practically falling over with laughter. "I DON'T BELIEVE IT! You're stranded here! THAT'S RICH! WHICH-WHCIH MEANS...Either I kill you here, or you get arrested by Ahsoka!"

"I think you overestimate your skills and those of Skywalker's insignificant little Padawan!" The bite in Dooku's humiliation marked Tanya with that stab at Ahsoka.

"Don't sell her short! Or me!" She charged. Dooku fortified his stance.

The twin swords clashed with his parrying blade in a flurry. Vanqor's abysmal afternoon light reflected off the swords, soaring with the sparks chipped from the humming red blade. Dooku bent his arm and shifted his body weight, the saber taking on the full brunt of Tanya's borish strikes. One after another after another, Tanya struck for the innumerable arteries the human body was famous for having. His hips, his ribs, the legs, his arms - Tanya spared not a single blow to cripple the elder Sith. Dooku parried her strikes, lunging in with precision thrusts and jabs. The heated breeze barely missing her flesh by an inch only served to feed the feral excitement welling within her. She twisted one sword, driving his next jab towards the ground, then lahsed out with a spinning kick. Her heel gliding a hair's length from his nose. She stomped firmly, returning to unleashing her swords. Dooku edged away, blocking her rampant blows. His breath was falling short. The muscles were beginning to wane, growing sore as she pressed her seemingly uncouth onslaught. Dooku was driven to physically dodge her attacks, relying on swift footwork and a keen eye in order to narrowly evade her strikes. Tanya's gaze never trailed from his eyes. She never diverted focus to his feet, body, or saber to deduce his next counter. She merely looked him in the eye, as if able to read his every move through them. He caught both swords in a deadlock, then returned the kick to the abdomen, sending her against a rock. Dooku curled a hand, lifting Tanya off ground by a choke, then tossed her to a bouncing stop at the base of a a boulder. Tanya quickly recovered, propelling her legs into a crouch, then thrust her palm. The Count was blown off his feet. He wrenched back into a flip, digging his saber to stop himself. He rose to his feet, panting heavily. Tanya was supporting him with a prideful grin, her swords tracing graves in the dirt. Without realizing it, Dooku was backed into a corner. He could not jump to safety for there was a ledge above him. The sides were barred by high walls. The only exit was through her. And it dawned on him that this wasn't blatant, wanton attacking. She was pushing him to a trap.

"Ready to take back what you said yet?" She sang. Dooku hissed through gritted teeth. He foolishly underestimated her. Something he's taking measure to never do. He's become familiar with Tanya's style of fighting during her tenure as Jedi. That is when he reached a dreadful conclusion. She isn't fighting as a Jedi. This is the killer. The Bounty Hunter. Tanya's gaze was caught by the second weapon on his right side. Another lightsaber. She scoffed derisively. "Robbing corpses now, are we, Count? I'm honestly disappointed." The Count gave her a perplexed raise of the brow. She gestured at the lightsaber. "I'd be able to pick Skywalker's lightsaber blindfolded. Either the Gundark finally got to him, or you actually managed to kill him." She crooned. She was honestly waiting with bated breath to hear the result.

"Unfortunately...I must disappoint you yet again." He played right back, fighting to regain his breath. He waved the Jedi lightsaber mockingly. "Skywalker was very much alive when I plundered his weapon. Though I must admit my shock that you would wish him dead."

"Are you really?" She questioned flatly. That famous smirk answered her. "You, Kenobi, and Skywalker nearly ran into me during you abrupt landing! Did you have to drag you war out here to my turf?!"

Dooku recalls seeing a ship on his rough entry. His Mind lingered on her words, _my turf._ He hadn't sensed it before, but there's an attachment to this place. Or a place close by. A light lit a match on a devious idea that came to him. He won't be trapped for much longer. "No matter how far you run, Tanya Fett, the past will follow like a hungry dog." He clipped Anakin's saber to his hip."As you so clairvoyantly surmised, I am indeed stranded. But I've just acquired a new fascination with this planet that will prolong my stay." He narrowed hiss sights to her. "I'd like to explore it."

"No! You're not allowed here!" She boomed.

The reaction he needed. Fear. "Oh no? And why, pray tell?" Tanya swallowed nervously. She felt it. Right on the crown of her skull. That boring, prying sensation. Like thousands of maggots were burrowing through her scalp. Dooku was digging around in her head. "Ahh. I see." His chuckling dropped her guard. "This planet holds sentimental value to you. Someone you care for is here. Or is on their way here." Tanya's canine bit her lip. "It is not your brother. Argias is currently stationed near Raxus." Tanya's brow lifted. _Is he stalking them?_ Dooku made a mental note. "Mintoro Scroop, perhaps? The Mustafarian Spider-Crab?"

"STOP PRYING!" Tanya thrust her hand. Rocks and dust flew for Dooku. He lifted a hand with a tedious expression and flicked it. The rocks and dust collapsed into each other, then darted in reverse back to Tanya. She threw up her arms, coughing as dust and rocks washed past her. SOme got in her eyes.

"While I may have guessed incorrectly, of this I am correct," Dooku dusted off the beneath him work, "There is someone here, on this planet, you do not want me to know about. A relation to Jango Fett, no doubt."

"Dooku, I'm warning you." Her fingers crushed the sword's hilt. Trickles of lightning slithered hilt to blade tip. And here Dooku was afraid she'd forgotten her trade. "I will kill you where you stand!"

"If that were true, you would have done so on Aetha." He challenged. He brazenly took another step, approaching in torturous strides. Unknown to Tanya, she was the one heading for a corner. "Aetha, Mandalore, Rilgar - many opportunities presented themselves for you to end me. You always fall short."

"I had Jedi there pulling at shackles!" She ground her blades, flicking them apart. "Now there's nothing and no one stopping me!"

"No?" He spread his arms, the saber buzzing as insects burned on contact. Tanya's brow quirked perplexedly. "Then demonstrate those shed shackles to me. Unleash your fury and end me." He quickly added with a smug show of his teeth, "If you can...JEDI!"

Tanya roared at the top of her lungs, pupils narrowed to demon slits. Dust was kicked to an enormous cloud, her full speed charge an instant teleport from A to B. She swung both swords with all her strength. Dooku stretched his saber to the side, pouring the force from his free palm to the blade. He stopped both swords, the heat baking to his palm but never touching in full. Tanya turned her body, driving him to stagger right but never bringing the saber to searing his flesh. Tanya snarled animally, ripping her blades from the saber then lashing out wildly. _I'm not a Jedi! I'm not a Jedi! I'm not a Jedi!_ She screamed over and over in her head. She doesn't need them. She won't be bolted down by them. They won't hold her back ever again. NOT EVEN NOW! Her blades impaled a rock, becoming stuck at the hilt.

"DAMMIT!" She panted a foot, yanking futilely. The boulder held them good. She jolted back. Dooku's saber cut the hilts clean, forever trapping the swords in the stone. She really liked those. A swift kick to her face knocked her between protruding spires. "Tsk tsk. Very disappointing, Tanya." The tip of Dooku's saber stopped at the crook of her neck. Her back was flush to the rock. Her neck tensing as she swallowed. "You were always so tactful when attacking. Strategic from charge to strike. Why change to brute force? Mace will be displeased."

"Shut up!" Tanya's palms shot forth. Dooku was blown skipping to the ground, losing his saber in the process. She lost footing but picked herself up into sprint. Her fingers dragged through the dirt, lightning surging up her arm, reflecting in her enraged eyes. Dooku picked himself up. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" Tanya's palm came within an inch of his face. His brown eyes illuminated by the blue white streams. It stopped. He latched a hand to her wrist, squeezing the electrified appendages open. Tanya frothed through gritted teeth, crazed rage in her eyes.

"Oh my! Have I touched a raw nerve? Are you and your Master not getting along again?"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" She lunged her other hand, only to have it caught as well. Then disbelief flooded her. The lightning was drained from her hands, flowing to Dooku's and then dispersing on the air. "What…?" She quivered. From her shoulders to the tips of her fingers, the power was drained from her. And the harder she tried to call upon it, the more Dooku stole it. Her head was starting to spin.

Dooku's grin widened, a menacing chuckle vibrating her bones. "There is so much for you to learn. You have yet to skim the surface of your abilities." He announced darkly, rising above her. The fear gripping Tanya almost crippled her to her knees. He suspended her by her wrists, pinning her to a rock face. He savored the shaking, the pure fright bending her to his mercy. "A lack of formal training, no one to guide you except a famed Bounty Hunter, skills cultivated by sheer will alone. The danger you pose is enough to quake dozens in my position, and the Jedi. The warrior you've molded yourself into can bring armies to their knees." He purred. He leaned in closer. "Imagine what you will become if you became my student. The levels your powers will rise to, and the caliber your skills will come to under my tutelage will be boundless." Her ever charming resistance started up. She moved to launch a kick. Dooku quickly jabbed a knee in her stomach. Searing white pain and a loss of breath dropped her to her knees. She spat up blood and spit, devastated as she realized she was beaten. Again. "Grievous regaled me on your helplessness at his lair. I've longed to see - to sense - what true fear and despair from Tanya Fett was like. Once again, my dear girl, you have not disappointed me."

"Stop it…" She whimpered without breath. Her head dropped, wiry hair obscuring the defeat on her face. ' _This isn't happening...this can't be happening!_ ' "Please...stop it…" ' _Don't beg to him! KILL HIM!_ '

"Tell me, Tanya, what pains you the most?" He forced her to her feet, stretching his neck to see her face. "The fact that Grievous is the one who revealed the truth?" Dooku lowered his voice to murmur, bringing his lips close to her ear, "Or that Mace never trusted you with it?" She bit into her lip. Tears threatened to spill. The pain...the pain as coming back. Why? WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH? It shouldn't be hurting like this!

"How about…" Tanya gasped in amazement. Dooku's brow furrowed at the multiple clicks. He turned his head. Tanya peered past him, her jaw dropping. A dozen Weequay surrounded Dooku, rifles aimed simultaneously for his heart beyond his less than vigorous backbone. Hondo stood at the point of the group, a pistol aimed for Dooku's head, "That it took Hondo a bit longer than expected to come to her rescue."

"Hondo…" Tanya whispered, not able to recall the last time she was so happy to see him.

"Hello, Tanya. You're looking well." He winked. She must have taken a few knocks to the head. She laughed at one of his lame jokes. "Hello there, Sir. I see you have met my beloved Niece. I would greatly appreciate it if you would release her."

 **To be continued**


	13. Mommy Dearest (&) Uncle Drunkard

**Mommy Dearest**

 **( &)**

 **Uncle Drunkard**

 **xxx**

 _Be-deep-beep! Be-deep-beep! Be-deep-beep!_ The penthouse went still. Eyes immediately shot to the astromech Izumi was using as a tray holder for snacks. Baffling enough that no one in the room ever noticed it. Izumi motioned the mech closer, pulling a drive from her breast plate. She inserted the drive to the mech's front port. An interactive holoscreen materialized. A series of binary codes followed by a randometer of letters darted in blurs, overlapping and synchronizing and accessing the server the mech was linked to. The drive cut ties for outward interference or interceptions, securing the line for only that penthouse, that room, and within the circle Izumi and company were in. Izumi's alias as The Creed's Killer Queen granted her full access to The Creed's mainframe. Waiting for her was a file. The one she'd been waiting for a day and a half.

Aurra shot up from her lazy position on the couch, sitting on the edge in eager anticipation. The time is nearly upon them. She will be able to paint the armor they wear with their own blood, truly making it crimson. Carver and Scroop were equally anxious to see the long awaited results. The location of the stronghold of their most hated enemy. Bringing the end to this nightmare all the more closer. Boba's insides became knots as he thought about how soon the marks they bear will finally be decorative body art. He and Tanya will be able to live semi-normal lives, take on jobs that benefit them and them alone. Never having to look over their shoulders for one of the agents of The Benefactors lurking within. Were it there was champagne, it would be assured someone would be breaking the bottle open in celebration. Though it would be significantly premature.

The news Izumi was gifted wasn't...on the good or the bad side. But it certainly wasn't the news they craved. The intel was in a language native to the Mirialan people. Aurra, Scroop, and Carver weren't able to make heads or tails of it. Boba, however, was remarkably versed in ten different languages. The new he read over Izumi's shoulder brought chills to his spine. "Tell me I'm reading that wrong." He pleaded.

"I'm afraid not, my son." She moaned contritely. She shared the information with the gawking group. Shoulders sank simultaneously with defeat. Before them was a list - a long list - of ten planets that could possibly hold The Crimson Hoard. That is ten planets, hundreds of provinces, thousands of lands and buildings and plots in the ground that can be hiding the knights. Each one a cross between a metropolis or a backwater plane, the most complex and most simple of living situations and each one fully capable of being altered to support an army of Knights. They've proven themselves highly adaptable in whatever circumstance they find themselves. Making this list grow to the hundreds. "These are the planets our scouts are certain The Knights are using to hide." She read the minor note at the bottom. She shook her head remorsefully. "And they have no method to narrow that list any further."

"None?!" Scroop snarled. Izumi need not answer. He knows what she says is true.

"Well if that isn't perfect!" Aurra threw her hands up, slapping them at her thighs. "I leave my cushy, going to pay a nice sum of credits, job in order for a meet, greet, and catch up that...proves to be more pointless!" The job she left wouldn't even cover fuel, but at least she was going to get to shoot someone. The number of veins breaking in her artificial skull were scaling by the thousands. "Once again, our illustrious creed sticks a finger in our assess only to jerk us around for their own benefit! Well, I won't sit here idly any longer!" She stormed off, picking up her rifle, and punching the sliding door open. "When you discover something USEFUL, call me! Not a minute before!" The door seemed to slam behind her, and the air in the room greatly brightened. But there was a lingering darkness.

"We must inform The Creed." Carver grimly stated.

"They already know. Aurra will see to that." Izumi assured him. "The news may not be what she wanted, but she knows someone in the Creed will be able to narrow our search. By any means necessary." The foreboding edge in her tone didn't go unnoticed. Aurra's means usually end in a high body count. Izumi isn't opposed to bodies, but if there is a chance her onslaught can be avoided she will take it. "We need to expedite our search more than what we've limited ourselves to. Which means we need outside help." She glanced contrary to Boba. "Or _inside_ as the case will most likely turn to be." Boba shook her head confusedly, unsure where she was going with this. "Alexei and Lightraide may be our only keys into their palace." Boba's bones went brittle. "And...seeing as they are on Coruscant-"

"NO!" Boba roared, sticking a fork in Izumi's idiotic plan. "No, no, no. Not going to happen! We are not going there!"

"Calm down, Boba. I never said how we were going to schedule a meeting." She sucked on her lips. "Or extraction."

"You don't have to! I already know who you have in mind for this, and I'm not allowing it!" He boomed. He won't let her be taken from him again. Not for a third time.

"Boba-"

"No, Argias!" He warned Scroop was going to put his two sense in next. He won't let them rationalize sending Tanya back to Coruscant. Back to the Jedi! BACK TO WINDU! "THEY were going to toss her back in jail! She's taken bullets for them, lost her sight, had her ribs broken, and was practically killed trying to protect them!" He shot to his feet, laughing crazily as he thinks about the betrayal. "And they were...going to...send her back into a cage! Throw her away because they can't control her!" He stormed over to Izumi. She was impassive to the rage burning into her skin. "Now what you're going to do is ask her to go back into that den of lions and...and what? Say, _Hey guys. How's it been? I need the two knights in your jail to tell me where their friends hide!_ Are you out of your mind, or is your age finally catching up to you? _"_ Izumi shot him a death glare.

"Boba…" Scroop moved him away by the shoulders before his mouth spouted something regrettable. "Listen here, I understand your reluctance. But this may be necessary if we're going to get a leg up on them."

"Not to me it won't be! And not to her!" He shouted. He spun back to the irritated woman. "Izumi, Tanya and I may think the universe of you, but do not imagine for a second she won't cut you down if you throw this at her!"

"You mean she'll try." She replied flatly.

"She'll succeed! The Jedi and Dad aren't here to restrain her! And I'm not going to try!"

Izumi snorted derisively, smashing a hand over her mouth. "Are you seriously threatening me, Boba?" She cackled.

"No, _Mom!_ I'm making a promise, and I was raised to keep my promises." He growled animally. He doesn't stand a ghost of a chance against someone of Izumi's skill. But come Hell or high water - both he is willing to drown her in - he will break every bone in his body to keep Tanya from being taken again. "Tanya isn't going back!"

"That may not be your decision."

"And it sure as Hell isn't yours! You lost all rights to both of us three years ago!"

"I didn't lose anything!" Izumi shot to her feet. Her significant height didn't frighten him. "You two vanished and I couldn't find you!"

"Oh please! You expect me to believe that?! Any of us?!" Carver and Scroop shied away, not wanting to be drawn in. "You could have found us by waving your hand! You chose not to come for us! You chose to stay in hiding after dad died!"

"Better than going after a Jedi carrying a tremendous rage! Or aligning myself with The Creed's most deadliest sniper!" Boba scoffed off her attempt at distributing blame. Boba knows what he's done. He's never shied from owning up to it. But he would never dare try to put it on anyone else. Make it their fault. "You two made it clear you didn't want to be found, so I didn't come after you!"

"Oh so now it's our fault when you said you couldn't find us?! That's rich! You don't even know what we went through these past three years!"

"I would if you would tell me!"

"What good would telling you do now?!" He spread his hands, slapping at his sides. "What will change if you even remotely understood? NOTHING!" Izumi's brow furrowed. "Dad will still be dead, I was and am trained by Aurra, and Tanya is still a former jailbird and Jedi! No amount of answers you are given will ever change that!"

"I don't seek to change or undermine what you both endured!" She frothed, her voice shaking.

"Then why push to know?!"

"Because knowing will force you and her to understand that this goes beyond the two of you!" Boba was stunned to silence. The questions were abundant on his face. "What you both went through is where you put yourselves. The Creed and Knights never lifted a finger in your misery!" She elucidated, coming closer. "But do not be mistaken. It will be the Wrath of the Benefactors you both shall face if our enemy slips through our fingers." True as that may be...Boba can't let it happen. He'd rather The Benefactors kill Tanya...than to see her jerked around by the Jedi again. To see her in that sort of pain again.

 **xxx**

Rifle scopes bore into Dooku's back, trained for the frail organs throbbing on swells of adrenaline. The tattered rabble daring to point their guns at him rankled his pride. The barbs tearing at his impulse to shatter the numerous bones in their necks chiseled at his better judgement. Perhaps the sadism her houses is stronger than his will. Sort of like a feline he currently has at his wavering mercy. The lead Weequay with the pistol aimed at his head clicked his tongue, motioning the gun for him to step away. A Kowakian Monkey-Lizard climbed from his back, snarling as he stalked along Hondo's extended arm. Threatening clicks of his beak were humorous to The Count, but made the message clear. Dooku's fingers slipped away from Tanya's trembling wrists. Her frazzled senses came together in a force driven punch to his stomach. The wind was knocked out of him, dropping his choking to his knees.

"Tanya! Such a cheap shot! I raised you better!" He playfully scorned. She sneered her teeth, growling that he was revealing too much. Hondo offered him a hand. "Here, Sir, let me help you." Hondo hauled him to his feet, dusting off the Count of Vanqor dirt. "You must forgive Tanya, she can be rather vicious around faces she does not trust." Dook wishes he realized how naively understated that is. "Tell me, Tanya, who is this new friend? He seems rather...important." He scrolled hungry eyes over The Count.

"He's not my friend!" She shoved a Weequay aside, prying his gun from his holster. Dooku was on a knee, bringing himself around at the click of the hammer. The barrel pressed to his forehead. A dark smirk split his face down the middle, mocking eyes locking with the trembling, infuriated feline. "He's another meal for a Gundark!"

The Count chuckled at the very real promise. He never wavered under the fury pouring from her body. The liquid magma rippling in her amethyst eyes, melting his insides. The hatred she feels for him filled him to the brim, choking at the malevolent glee he took from bringing her to this point. Behind it, however, was a righteous rage even more delicious. One he lavished in every second. The betrayal of her master being revealed by General Grievous. He's been pushing her since the day they met, but now he is certain she has begun to fall into the breach of no return. To vanquish one's enemy out of hatred - an unarmed enemy no less - will bring her another step closer to being his forever. Regardless if his physical body remained. She would become the Sith he's always known her to be.

"Ooh hoo, killing an unarmed man! How surprising!" Hondo obnoxiously applauded, prancing and dancing around the two. Tanya tried to ignore him, but his usual annoying attempts at charm were grinding on her. He pressed against her back, hand and head snuggling to her shoulders. "I did not realize in these past few months you've thrown away your honor with your lightsaber." Dooku flinched at the obvious goad, growing frustrated by how easily Tanya was take in. The gun barrel eased off his skin, an imprint left behind. Her death stare faltered into self loathing, and doubt. Her arm started to shake. The Heart of a Warrior and Mind of Killer waging war. Perhaps it would benefit him to slit this pirates throat.

' _Ignore this drunk! Just kill him!_ ' Her assassin snarled. Her corrosive grip on Tanya burned into the wrist lowering the gun. ' _End him and we'll be free of him! He deserves nothing less for what he's done!_ '

 _No! It's what he wants! And he's unarmed!_ Never kill an unarmed man. That is the credo Jango engraved into Boba and Tanya. A preventative measure to keep his kids from losing even a shred of their humanity. That is in spite of their habits of subsiding their conscience and humanity to accomplish jobs.

' _He's never unarmed, Tanya! He's a Sith Lord! He'll kill Hondo if you don't end him now!'_ She came within inches of Tanya's weak face, boring her disgusted glare into her. ' _He'll kill everyone for shits and giggles unless we stop him! And now that he knows about him,'_ She moved Tanya's gaze to Hondo, ' _He's fair game for this man's chopping block._ '

 _Then he'll die at the hands of pirates! And you and I both know his pride won't let that happen!_ Dooku won't allow himself to be killed by those he deems lesser than him.

' _Just like your pride would never force you to beg for someone's life!'_ Tanya squeezed her eyes closed. She doesn't deny the truth in her demon's words. Killing Dooku now would be the simplest thing. Too simple. Her killing him, in place of pirates, would be a welcomed demise. And it will serve to prove him right about her the whole time. That she is...a Sith. A killer. A monster. And she despises proving people like him right. Only adds to their ego, even in death. And she hates...the ego on this man. ' _Kill him now! Or I will! You wouldn't let me have Mace or Kashjeen! YOU WILL LET ME HAVE THIS! YOU OWE ME!_ '

Tanya had heard enough. She raised the gun to her head. Dooku's eyes widened in utter dismay. "TANYA!" Hondo lunged. Her finger tnesed. A single bolt screeched. On Coruscant, a cup of tea shattered on the floor. Mace Windu quivering in despair.

Hondo, Dooku, and the surrounding pirates were petrified in place. Mixed emotions permeating the air, guns and knives bouncing between falling and dangling on a finger. The smoke wafting off the barrel brushed Tanya's skin. The barrel slowly fell, and was tossed to the grounded Weequay also shellshocked. She exhaled grudgingly, wrapping both hands to her tense neck. Tanya was squeezing her eyes shut, enduring the deafening ringing throbbing in her ear. A soothing weightlessness massaged into her as the ringing faded.

"Well…" She breathed, taking voluntary steps back before she unwillingly choked Dooku, "That was oddly refreshing." She pat the back of her head, searching for a graze or bald spot. She missed by a mile, unintentionally shooting a bird in the distance. She rubbed her eyes, exhaling from her nose. The voice in her head, and the shadow at her back, vanished.

Hondo yanked her around by the arm, viciously locking abhorrent eyes to hers. What astonished him was Tanya seemed frightened. Not at all the face he saw when that trigger was pulled. He leaned in close, bringing his lips to her ear. In a dull growl her warned, "I know you can hear me in there. Do not EVER pull a stunt like that again." Tanya swallowed a massive lump. Hondo excited a fear within her she has not felt in a very long time. Even with Dooku holding her at his mercy. Hondo parted from her, going to the Count.

' _Wonder what he would think if he knew it wasn't MY stunt._ '

"Shut up…" She growled animally.

"Now, back to the business at hand." Hondo shooed his men away, muttering for them to _get back to work._ He squared up to Dooku, rather impressed by his height and the stature he carried. Tanya seems to attract the classiest and most dangerous of characters. "How did you come to be here on Vanqor, Mr…"

"He's Count Dooku of The Separatist Alliance!" Tanya spat venomously. "He's also a Sith Lord! A Dark Jedi!"

"A Sith Lord...AND a Count!" Hondo hooted, clapping his hands as if he'd won the lottery. "This IS turning into an interesting day! But, back to my previous question! Why are you here? And how did you come to be here? Certainly not to hassle my niece." Tanya wished he would stop calling her that in front of him.

"Not at all. I was caught in an asteroid storm and crash landed on this planet." Tanya rolled her eyes at the blatant lie. _If that storm was blaster fire from Republic ships._ "My ship is...otherwise in ruin. I am, to my shame, stranded on this planet."

"Your ship...ooh yes. The Solar Sailor…I am guessing." He purred. He escorted Dooku to the edge of the cliffs, sweeping a palm to the raid transpiring below. His nose scrunched at the pirates plundering his sailor. The spherical starship nestled at the center of the gorge unnerved him. He never heard it land. Either his battle with Tanya was more engaging than he realized, or that ship is designed to not so much as rustle a bush.

"Yeah…" Tanya groaned, meandering beside him. "They don't exactly waste any time."

"When exactly did they find the time?" He mumbled.

"They got here right when you and I started fighting. They've been watching us, and plundering your ship." She winked mockingly. Dooku found these pirate irritatingly good at multitasking. "What? Didn't sense them?" She cooed.

"No, I'm afraid." Dooku leaned into her ear, smirking, "I was busy winning you to my side."

"Never going to happen."

"Do not be so sure."

"And don't think because Hondo isn't force sensitive that he can't kill you!" She warned murderously. "He's the man who taught me to kill without a conscience!"

A short chuckle scoffed from The Count. "Then this will be interesting."

"Your Sailor is...very beautiful." Hondo marveled, strolling down the slope. Tanya and Dooku followed. "It's a pretty rare ship. Very expensive." He hinted, rubbing fingertips together.

"Feel free to help yourself to it." Dooku permitted grudgingly. "Seeing as it can no longer transport me, it is of little use to me." Pilf climbed to The Count's shoulder, sniffing him out and hissing. He doesn't like the man as far as he could throw him. Hondo already had Dooku vetted the second he saw him pin Tanya. This man...was going to bring him a hefty fortune. Or hefty trouble. Either way, Hondo won't have a boring day.

"If you require transport, the nearest planet is Florum." Tanya's jaw hit the ground. "It is six parsecs from here."

"Is it _civilized_?" Dooku countered, already doubting so.

"Depends on what you mean by civil!" Tanya marched to Hondo, wrenching him by the arm. "WE NEED TO TALK!" She dragged him to the other side of the sailor, leaving Dooku to Pilf picking at the bugs in his hair. Tanya pinned him to a wall by the chest. The rage in her eyes was delicious.

"I take it you don't like this plan."

"I HATE this plan!" It wasn't a plan at all. "You're going to bring the second most dangerous man to your home," She edged closer, patting a begrudging palm to his chest, "And you're going to extort him for money, aren't you?"

"OH, TANYA!" He surprised her with a hug, kissing her cheek. "You know me so well! OOF!" Tanya twisted a fist in his side. He wheezed dryly, holding the stitching side. "Yes! My apologies. But I am not changing my plan. This will work."

"No, Hondo, it won't! Do you know how I know that?!"

"Because you are a natural pessimist."

"BECAUSE I KNOW DOOKU!" She shrieked. The shake in her voice clenched at Hondo's chest. She sniffled heavily, dropping her head to hide the grief. She strained her ears for a sign of Dooku eavesdropping. He was preoccupied with Pilf trying to eat his hair. "This guy...may not be The Benefactors...but he...he...DAMMIT!" She pounded fists to his chest. All she wanted to do was get as far away as she possibly could. Go where the war couldn't touch her...or anyone associated with her. Just...be free from it all. And here it is. Coming to fetch her. Like every other time she's run away. "I don't...want him...near you! OKAY! He knows about Jango and Scroop and Carver and Boba! You were the one person who he couldn't throw in my face!" Hondo chewed on the inside of his cheek. "You can't-CAN'T-bring him to Florum! Please, Hondo! He can't know about your place!" He can't know about her last place to go where no one would touch her.

Hondo cupped a hand to her cheek, understanding in his eyes. "This man scares you. He terrifies you to the core."

"He really does." Her voice cracked. She massaged fingertips into her temples. She despises when the booze wear off and he becomes so intuitive. Then again, one doesn't become the sixth deadliest hunter in the Creed by being short sighted. "Hondo...he scares me because...what he's capable of...the reach he has…"

"Now…" Hondo put fingers to her lips, then grasped at her shoulder. "Is all of this because of him, or because you are scared Mace Windu will learn where you are?"

Tanya's breath hitched in her throat. He meandered pats her, patting her on the back. Tanya wanted to protest, in spite of their being nothing to say to counter what she knew in the back of her mind was true. The Count, Ahsoka, and - if they don't die first - Obi-Wan and Anakin all know where she is. When they learn what she's been doing? They'll arrange _coincidences_ in order to guilt trip her back into the order.

"I must apologize for the distraction, Count." Hondo professed, liberating him of Pilf. "As I was saying previously, I am willing to take you to Florum where you may arrange other means of transportation." Tanya reluctantly joined him. All protests of The Count's traveling with them gone from her tongue. "And, civilized or not, Vanqor is not the type of place to be at night. Not even our most deadly and skilled linger when the light fades."

"Perhaps I shall take you up on your offer." Dooku unwittingly accepted, sneaking a glance to an uncharacteristically silent Tanya. She furrowed her brow and folded her ears back.

"Good! Good!" Hondo clapped, rubbing his greedy palms together. "Now all that is left is to...settle my fee." He blurted swiftly. Tanya groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Fee?" Dooku glanced back at her.

"You'd better choose to die here." Tanya muttered.

"Just a _little something_ to cover my expenses." Tanya will need to get a bucket with how much Hondo was drooling over him. Maybe five. "It shouldn't be a problem for someone so OBVIOUSLY wealthy, such as yourself."

Dooku pulled the cloak closed, not unwise to Hondo's constantly dropping gaze. "I will be happy to compensate you for your services." He acquiesced. Hook, line, and boy was he going to sink.

"THAT'S IT, BOYS! WE'RE HEADING HOME!" Hondo announced. His boys cheered, loading up the supplies they plundered from Dooku's ship, and what was gathered from Vanqor. Hondo boarded his starship, leaving that trail of drool.

Dooku huffed from his nostrils, sensing a giant hole he just stepped in. "Let it never be said that I didn't try to spare you." Tanya mumbled, moseying onto the ship.

"At least I know where your sense of unscrupulous business does not come from." He muttered, walking with her.

She threw her head back, scoffing with laughter. "For once I will accept that compliment. And ONLY that compliment!" She whipped on the stop, warning him then and there. Dooku chuckled under his breath. "What?!" She hissed.

"Nothing. Just taking in the moment." He chimed, sauntering on his merry way.

"What moment?! We don't have moments!" She argued, marching after him. "Hey! Count!" The ship's ramp retracted at their heels, closing them in.

 **xxx**

Boba desperately needed some air. He sat to the balcony wall, back pressed against the solid stone, the perpetually passing view of Blackwater City. The penthouse was becoming outlandishly stuffy with all the bull crap being spouted. Ten possible planets with Knights on them, the IDEA of sending Tanya back to the Jedi, and The Creed coming up empty on how to bring this Hell to an end. Looking at the helmet he modeled after his father's, which he gradually added touches of Jaster Mereel, he began to question his worthiness of the Mandalorian armor. Granted, Boba is perfectly aware he is the unaltered clone of Jango. A byproduct of an entire government's ambition to one up another government, and unwittingly becoming the heir of the universe's most lethal hunter and the desired legacy of his mentor and father. The years of training her underwent where his bones were shattered seemingly beyond repair, limits he knew were in place being demolished by any means necessary, and the element he was forced to brave or die in take his mind into purgatory. All of it felt like it was for nothing. Jango wanted him to always move forward in life. To strive to rise higher than the previous day and never look back at what's brought him there. Not unless it was going to make him stronger. Boba wasn't going anywhere. He was going in a giant circle. Vengeance for Jango's death, payback for Tanya, loyalty to The Creed, being a Bounty Hunter, and right back to the start he goes. Ever so slightly he would fall backwards. Back to the darkness when Jango's head fell from his shoulders, back to those days he spent in that purgatory thinking he'd die before coming to his full potential. And, once again, he is circling that drain alone. He'll have to if Izumi has her way.

"She doesn't have the right…" Boba mumbled. Scroop approached on his side, leaning to his forearms on the railing. He hung his head acceptingly. "Izumi has NO RIGHT to make decisions for us! For Tanya! Least of all when she isn't here to decline!"

"Do you think she would?" Scroop challenged. Boba was dumbstruck by the inane question. "Tanya is known to surprise."

"She's not going to agree to this!" Boba barked. "She'll never agree!"

"Or are you hoping she won't?" Boba bit on his lower lip. "Tanya does what she has to when there's no other choice. That's how she was trained."

"I don't care! I won't let them have her twice! They took my dad, they won't take my sister!"

"By my understanding…" Boba's blood boiled at Izumi's voice. She was leaning at the entryway, brow knit, "They took her twice. Three if you count her rescue of that Gungan Representative."

"Of course you'd know about that!" Boba hissed.

"I know everything."

"Apparently not since you keep asking about the past three years!"

"Why is it so hard for you to accept that I merely want to help?"

"BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO HELP US, IZUMI! THEY WANT TO CONTROL US!" Boba exploded, jumping from the wall. "And you must really think I'm stupid if you are expecting me to believe you're any different!"

"I am different!" She bit on her words.

"No! You're not!" Boba stormed for the house.

"Yes," Izumi latched onto his forearm, dragging him back, "I am! I want to know why I don't recognize the young man standing before me?" Boba sucked on his teeth, seething venomously. "Why, after two years of avoiding one another, you and Tanya are suddenly cohesive and synchronized in your efforts?"

"A brother and sister can't get along?!" He barked.

"I guess they can…" She loosened her grip. Boba ripped his arm away. Izumi took a couple steps back, taking in the full view of the unfamiliar boy before her. "Especially when you both have set aside your mutual differences for a mutual hatred." Boba urged Izumi not to insult his intelligence, so he won't do the same by pretending he doesn't know the reference to Mace Windu. Izumi shook her head disappointed. "How low you both have fallen." She will need to see Tanya for herself to confirm how far. "Jango would be furious." She caught a punch meant for her face. Scroop remained idle, gazing out to the scenery, pretending to not know Boba's fury was coming to light.

Boba breathed fumes, a fire in his eyes that would see Izumi charred to a brick. "You don't deserve to breathe his name! You lost that right when you abandoned him on Geonosis!" Scroop choked on the air, whipping around aghast. He thought he heard wrong. But it would seem his ears weren't playing tricks on him. For the first time in...years and since they arrived to the penthouse...Izumi was backed into a corner. "That's right. You're not the only one who knows things. I know you were on Geonosis, and I know you ran the second the clones started firing!" Izumi closed her eyes, sinking with guilt. "So, MOM," Boba approached, forcing her to meet his gaze, "You want to know why you don't recognize me? Why Tanya and I suddenly get along? You BETTER start explaining why you left us!" And if he catches even the whiff of a lie, he will throw her off the building.

 **xxx**

The starship exited out of hyperspace. The Planet Florum, a blazing orange in the midst of space's vast black, was brimming. Tanya hadn't realized how long it's been since she'd returned to her second home until now. She had to admit...it was great to see it still in one piece. On the outside.

Hondo's starship released a secondary auxiliary ship, diving into Florum's atmosphere. As The Count has come to anticipate, Florum was as backwater and primitive a planet as his would be rescuers. Nothing more than a dust bowl with a plethora of hippopotamus like creatures, acid spitting geysers, and the ever favored cliffs and canyons wastelands produce. Though it was not without its wonders. Most astonishing, definitely leaving Dooku speechless - as impossible as that sounds - was the fortress in the outskirts of the what can be considered the outlands. Hard to discern considering how everything looks the same. This fortress could rival the Jedi temple, possibly Dooku's stronghold on Sereno. Beside it was a smaller compound where the ship was docking.

The moment the ship landed, Dooku was escorted onto the premises. The small army of pirates coming to greet him with rifles in hand did nothing to accentuate the warm and fuzziness most visitors would come to feel. Instead his guard erected on all four sides, his alertness pinging onto the two dozen Weequay surrounding him from the front. The next dozen from behind did not elude his stretching senses.

"Welcome to Florum." Hondo purred menacingly. By the sounds of it, the last place Dooku will ever visit. He noted Tanya taking to his right flank, folding her hands behind her back in submission. The dark glower on her face told him everything. This was a trap. Adding to the dread was the emptiness at his hips. Dooku pat himself down, searching for the two weapons, only to find them missing. "Lose your flashy swords~? Are these what you are looking for, JEDI?!" Hondo hissed accusingly, mocking him with the confiscated lightsabers.

Dooku faced Hondo and his ragtag band of miscreants. "I am more powerful than any _Jedi_!" He countered with abhorrent disgust. "As Tanya so boisterously warned you on Vanqor, you deal with a SITH LORD." Dooku lifted his hands, streams of lightning snaking his fingers. Tanya darted into her stance. She pretended to not be bothered by forgetting her swords were stuck in rock. She really liked those. The chains in the hilts were custom.

Hondo stayed her with an extended hand. "Sith Lord or not, you do not stand a chance against the numbers before you. Not without these." He handed the swords to Pilf who skipped across the heads of the next pirates and onto Tanya. She took the weapons in her hands, flinching at the nostalgic jolts. She'd forgotten how nicely they fit in the palm of her hand. The lightsaber leant to her was especially her favorite. Now that she thinks about it...she hasn't made her own like the others. "The leader of the clanker army. And a Sith Lord no less! Someone is bound to pay a pretty price for you!" And there's that drool.

"Provide me with the proper means of communications." Dooku requested with a jaded tone. "I can arrange for any _ransom_ you desire."

"You will arrange for your armies to crush us as well!" Hondo snapped. "You don't survive in the Outer Rim by being stupid! My goddaughter was part of the Jedi Order for months! Do you really think I wasn't given the full roster of who to be wary of?" Dooku casted her a scathing glare.

"Don't look at me like that. You forced my hand when you started bringing the others into our fights!" The others being Jango, Boba, Carver, Satine, anyone Tanya has ties to as a Bounty Hunter. In the likelihood Dooku found Hondo, she needed him to be prepared.

"And in doing so you have sealed their fate!" Dooku growled.

"I warned you that I knew how to play this game, and that I have friends that are more dangerous than I am!" She gestured to Hondo. "He's one of them. And unlike you, he has the tenacity to survive any disaster!"

 _Like a cockroach!_ Dooku kept to himself.

"You see, Count, I do not fear you." Hondo taunted him, strutting haughty circles around him. "Do you know why that is?"

"Foolishness? Naivete? The heat of this planet and the alcohol I smell from you have severely affected your mental capacity to register true danger?" Tanya wished she had scorecards. Dooku hit every target.

"Because, like many with your abilities, you hide behind these…" He stroked one saber at Tanya's hip, "And those magic powers." He wiggled his fingers. Tanya tried not to be offended. "Unlike Tanya, or those of us not BLESSED with your powers, we take to the vanguard with our own skills," He clutched a fist within inches of Dooku's wrinkled face, "And we spill the blood of our enemies without mercy, and without fear. And believe you, me, Count," In spite of the height difference, Dooku faltered briefly at their closeness. Mostly because he was losing sobriety at his breath, "There are thousands of things in this life worth fearing more than you." He finished with an ominous whisper.

"And for every one that you name, I swear," Dooku's brown eyes hued to a demonic yellow, "I will reinvigorate that fear until you plead for your death." This he swears.

"I do not plead. I do not beg. And I certainly do not show mercy to someone causes one of my own pain!" He meandered impassively for his compound. "Which is why I will urge the Republic to be ready to pick up pieces." Dooku ogled him confusedly. Tanya groaned sickly, seeing this coming. "The Separatists may pay well to have you back. But the Republic will pay even better to see a traitor brought to justice." To which his men held Dooku at gunpoint. Hondo motioned Tanya along. He was going to need her for the _negotiations._ Not something she's looking forward to, or that she'll be able to get out of.

Dooku observed how the two walked side by side in tandem. One ready to guard the other should he choose to attack. Yet, in a strange way, there was a hierarchy in place. Hondo was at the forefront with Tanya watching his back. "A Pirate and a Bounty Hunter. Quite the pair." Dooku taunted. Hondo paused at the door. Tanya cringed at the anger swelling in him. "The teacher who taught her to kill with the same depravity you demonstrated. It is quite an honor to put a face and body to you."

"I did not teach her to be depraved. Far from it." He turned half way, glaring daggers. "I merely taught her to not weep for every last breath from a corpse." Hondo went on his way before he made a very brash decision.

Dooku chuckled menacingly. "I now see where your frightening ruthlessness was cultivated. A shame it will be reduced to posturing when I make my counter offensive." Tanya would like to tell him that he'll be dead before he twitches in Hondo's direction. But she knows better than to underestimate him. And right now...her head needed to be on straight. She was about to make a very awkward phone call.

 **xxx**

Going back to Vanqor for a point in time, an exciting race was taking place in one of the caves a few miles from the famed crash landing Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin made. The crash landing Anakin made wasn't exactly ideal. But he lived by the golden rule: _Any landing you can walk away from._ And last her checked, he and Obi-Wan walked away with barely a scratch. Maybe a lump or two, but no scratches. A good thing. Dooku was presumed not far from their location. After destroying the distress beacon the Count setup, Obi-Wan and Anakin tracked his whereabouts to nearby caves nestled in the cliffs. Logically, Dooku would have gone there for shelter and to escape being captured. Inevitably he may have just trapped himself. Or so they hoped.

Unbeknownst to the blindly exploring pair, Dooku was monitoring their entry right from the start. Their mirrored blue lightsabers casting meager light on their situation gave them away flawlessly. Were it Skywalker's padawan were there it would have made his plans all the more sweeter. They walked into his trap without even realizing it. He would chastise Qui-Gon for his poor training of the two if he weren't one with the force. A screech of the native Gundarks frightened the poor lads, freeing Dooku to unleash his mastery of the force upon the cave. He caused a massive cave in, bringing the ceiling down on their heads and blocking their only way out. Assured of their destruction, Dooku made his exit which brought him to his meeting with Tanya. But not before claiming Anakin's lightsaber as a prize. All the while unawares that Anakin and Obi-Wan were still alive and kicking. Though being chased by a ravenous Gundark in his place.

On top of losing his lightsaber, Anakin was the one forced to entertain the Gundark with a marathon sprint while Obi-Wan fiddled with his busted lightsaber. Blasted thing chose now of all times to stop working. The power cells or some form of coil must have been knocked loose. Hit by a rock, as the joe was being tossed back and forth. Anakin was enjoying being the center of attention by the mother of all Gundarks, but he'd greatly appreciate Obi-Wan throwing him a bone and helping. He didn't have a bone so Obi-Wan shot huge rocks at the Gundark. Anakin's usual gratitude consisted of an insult at how long he took. The pair sent volleys of boulders at the Gundark, eventually rendering her unconscious. Anakin was _sad_ to see her pass out, though Obi-Wan's idea of a way out was far more appealing.

Neither one knew what caused the cave to collapse. After spotting the Gundark, they surmised they've unintentionally landed on Vanqor. The planet's tectonics aren't in their arsenal of geological knowledge. Times like this Master Fisto or Master Secura would come in handy. They're nerds when it comes to the land and what makes it up. Or, to escape the science, both could accuse Dooku of causing the cave in. The Force grants a variety of talents to a Jedi and Sith. Moving the earth, or so much as causing it to split, was not out of his wheelhouse. Nevertheless, the cave in incidentally left a trail for the two Jedi to follow. A breeze from the outside brushed their faces, drawing them to what appeared to be a dead end. The breeze was at its strongest there. Obi-Wan and Anakin worked in unison and began levitating the boulders out of the way. At the same time another Gundark's shriek was heard in the distance. Anakin wrote it off as being too far away, consumed with dealing with the large rock they currently had over their heads.

When the rock was boorishly thrown down, the unstable ground fractured. Green gas erupted from the cracks in a hiss, filling the entire area with suffocating gas in a matter of seconds. Anakin saw the bright side of things and saw the gas as the means of keeping their Gundark friends at bay. Obi-Wan, ray of sunshine that he is, declared that the gas was likely toxic. His proof being that it was becoming increasingly difficult to breath and he was steadily losing consciousness. The two saved their wavering breath, pouring all their efforts into bringing the wall down. They soon found that the harder they struggled the faster the coils of the gas embraced their lungs, drawing their bodies to a complete and total shutdown. Leaving them as a feast for the Gundarks to savor.

The barricaded wall started to tremble. The tightly packed rocks coming loose. In a roar the wall was blown down, boulders flying clear past Obi-Wan and Anakin. Light breaching the staggering darkness, and blissful fresh air chasing the poisonous gas deeper into the cave. The clean air filled Obi-Wan and Anakin's lungs, purifying the gas from their systems, bring them back from the brink.

"WHAT...WAS THAT…?" Obi-Wan choked on the fresh air.

"I have...no idea…" Anakin moaned. He's not sure he's going to like it. Thick clouds of dust flooded the cave, barely letting them see three feet out. They readied themselves for whatever monster came at them.

"MASTER!" The relieved, cheerful voice of Ahsoka boomed. She and the clones emerged from the dust, proud to have found their friends in the nick of time. _She was right!_ Obi-Wan and Anakin were choking as they walked outside, and on their pride. It took the two of them to barely make headway with the wall. And here comes Ahsoka, once again, with her amazing bulldozing skills to take credit for saving the day. If being a Padawan doesn't work out, she has a future in construction. Or demolition, as the case may be. "Looks like I got here just in time!"

"What do you mean...just in time?!" Anakin dismissed.

"You were in very big trouble!"

"Trouble?!" Obi-Wan wished she'd perish the thought. They weren't in any sort of trouble. "We were simply searching for Count Dooku!" Nothing they couldn't handle.

"Yeah…" Anakin coughed on his wounded pride, "We have the situation well under control, My Little Padawan." No need for them to be saved...by a little girl.

"Oh, I see. So...which part of the situation did you have under control?" She sardonically countered. She can't wait to here these two explain this away. "The blocked entrance? The Poison gas? Or that Gundark behind you?"

"Gundark?!" Anakin dreaded.

"Yes. The one _too far away to worry about._ " Obi-Wan cleverly threw his words in his face. The red skinned, four armed carnivore was charging straight for them.

"Block the entrance!" Ahsoka commanded. The clones shot at the cave's arch, bringing it collapsing shut before the beast could escape. At least one problem was effectively dealt with. Now there's just one more issue that's eluded them.

"There's still Dooku to deal with." Anakin warned, not wanting the team to get ahead of themselves.

Ahsoka was gobsmacked by his statement. "You let him get away?!" She cried. After everything that went on in space - after Anakin was held prisoner by him for who knows how long - Dooku still got away! And he was trapped in a cave with them!

"NO! Not...get away...exactly…just..." Anakin was trailing off nervously, gradually losing ground. Ahsoka's face twisted with her usual skepticism. Her master had this not so cute way of spinning a tale to compensate for the blunders he more than not causes. She put her hands on her hips. She's anxious to see how he spins this one. It'll be a good story to laugh with Barriss over. "Chime in...ANYTIME!" He begged Obi-Wan.

The elder master registered that look. "Oh no! I'm enjoying this far too much." He tried not to laugh. He knows better than to come into Ahsoka's crosshairs.

"You know what, Dooku getting away can take a backseat." She decided. Anakin was more than eager to agree. Her snarky essence was paved over by apprehension. She knows it'll more than likely put her on a bad standing, but they have to know. "There's something I have to tell the both of you." She said eerily.

"What's wrong, Ahsoka?" Anakin placed worried hands to her shoulders. She doesn't know how to say it, so she started at the beginning.

 **xxx**

A long way into the region of the core worlds, the planet of Coruscant was falling into its concluding sunset. The vivacious and vigorous nightlife was amassing in clusters, taking to the superways for the trendiest or rowdiest of clubs on the higher sides. Within the Republic Senate, however, the night breeds troubles that the most trusted and level headed of delegates must see to head on. Vice Chancellor Amedda called an emergency session in Chancellor Palpatine's office, warning him that an encrypted communication from planet Florum was coming in on their secure channels. The Chancellor was in the middle of a meeting with Padme and Jar-Jar, discussing alternate forms of commerce to present to the senate in the wake of their escalating debts. The talks subsided at the mention of Florum. The planet sounded eerily familiar. Leading council members Yoda, Plo Koon, and Mace Windu were called in as well. No matter, Jedi or Senate, is to be singled between either groups. Both must be well informed in the event measures must be taken.

Answering the call, a familiar Weequay appeared on the holonet. Windu leaned to the far end of his seat, locking gazes with the pirate he knows as, "Hondo Ohnaka!"

" _Ahh...Mace Windu! Lovely to see you again, My Friend._ " Hondo's words oozed with sarcasm. " _How are you sleeping at night? You look a bit...fatigued. Developed insomnia maybe in the past SEVEN MONTHS!_ " He taunted ruthlessly, stressing the exact time when Tanya relinquished herself from his charge. Windu had no choice but to be silenced in his guilt.

"You know this man, Master Windu?" Padme asked concerned.

Windu bristled himself, taking in a breath of courage. "This is Hondo Ohnaka. A pirate from the planet Florum...and Tanya's godfather." He rumbled forebodingly. Padme, Jar-Jar, Amedda, and Palpatine gaped in abject shock, glancing to the chuckling man savoring their expressions. Plo Koon and Yoda remained silent in their response, and maintained stone expressions. Inside was another scene entirely. Tanya's godfather contacting them after naming the time after she vanished? They are too old to believe in coincidences.

Jar-Jar edged to ask about her. " _And while discussing my beloved goddaughter brings me joy,_ " His erect finger stopped the Gungan in his tracks, " _There are more pressing matters to discuss. Like a certain Sith Lord who has wandered into my clutches._ "

"What?!" Palpatine gasped. Yoda and Windu's brows narrowed suspiciously.

" _Yes, Friends. I, Hondo Ohnaka, have captured the Sith Lord and Leader of the Clanker army, Count Dooku._ " His name exacted thunder and lightning upon the office.

Count Dooku was the target of a four week long infiltration operation that involved and ended with Anakin becoming a prisoner upon his ship. Those weeks dragged on tediously. Never was a word of Anakin's condition able to be forwarded for fear the operation would be obliterated. It sure has gone to Hell now. And yet, while having Dooku on the ropes, somehow - some very inconceivable way - Dooku found himself free of the Republic's grasp, and fell into the grasp of a rumored drunkard. The very idea that this...lowly pirate did what their seasoned Jedi and Clone Troopers could not balanced on the beam of impossible and ludicrous. Windu's mind was open to the possibility. After all, he's looking at the man who had a hand in Tanya's training.

" _If you want the Sith Lord, it will cost you a million credits._ " Hondo laid claim on his demands. " _The payment will be in spice delivered in an UNARMED diplomatic ship._ " Diplomatic ships are, for the most part, free of any sort of weapons. Some don't even have cupholders.

"We will need proof he is alive before agreeing to your terms." Palpatine decreed. His doubts of the pirate's claims were abundant. Just the sort of person Hondo loves to bring the greatest surprises to.

" _Let me present your ''Sith Lord._ " Hondo chuckled. Dooku was shoved on screen, shielding himself in shame. " _I'm afraid he is too embarrassed to speak._ "

"A hologram can be altered." Palpatine continued to discredit him, prompting Hondo to nod to someone off screen.

 _"Indeed it can, Chancellor."_ The entire room was consumed by a chill. Jar-Jar's eyes glossed. The three Master held their breath. Palpatine braced himself on the edge of his seat. The Count was moved off screen, replaced by a figure shrouded in black. Deadpan hate glued to her brow, with a rabid grin splitting her face, Tanya meandered on screen. Jar-Jar, Palpatine, and Padme stifled gasps behind their palms. _"But there isn't a hologram in existence that can mimic me."_ Knives shredded Windu's nerves to ribbons. He cupped a hand over his mouth, preventing the bile from spilling to the floor. Yoda and Plo, though expecting her appearance, forced themselves to contain their utter disbelief.

"Tanya…" Windu's vitals crashed to a halt, his body bracing itself to his chair. Jar-Jar, Palpatine, and Padme petrified to statues. Plo and Yoda idled in distress, sensing a strong disturbance permeating the force.

Tanya, in her sadism, lavished in the mixed emotion polluting that room. How they tickled her insides watching her former Master with in his seat. Did he think she was dead too? Did they all think - wish - she was dead? She does so love to disappoint people. Their expressions are priceless. " _Hello, guys. Good to see you again."_ She crooned evilly, brazenly bringing her animal grin to the quaking Windu. She folded arms under her chest, flirtatiously batting her eyes. Purple and grey battling for dominance. The pupils slit all the same. _"Let's get down to business, shall we?_ "

 **To be continued.**


	14. It's An Emotional Trap

**It's An Emotional Trap**

 _The desire to help another becomes the desire of the other_

 **xxx**

 _ **Reunions more volatile than a supernova. Boba Fett, by a short draw of the straws, made the gut wrenching journey to planet Rilgar's Blackwater City where he would be receiving news on The Hunters Creed's mortal enemy, The Crimson Knights. Awaiting him were Mintaro Scroop, Argias Carver, Aurra Sing, and the elusive former lover of Jango Fett, Izumi Rahn. New of Crimson Knight movement has those within the Bounty Hunter's Creed reeling. Steadily are their adversaries gaining ground, backing them into a corner from which they can be picked off one by one. Their only chance of victory is a long shot in the vastness of the universe. Discovering the location of the Crimson Knight base and taking down their leader, Par Ceius. Agents of the Knights have been killed along the way, but the sheer numbers of their comrades continues to grow with each day that passes. In the midst of these dire talks, Boba gradually became infuriated with the woman he knew as a mother, finding a strong scent of hypocrisy in her decisions towards him and Tanya. Not the same boy she abandoned on Geonosis, Boba gives Izumi an ultimatum. Explain why she left him and Tanya three years back, or lose any chances of relying on them in their upcoming war.**_

 _ **Meanwhile, what would be a harmless trip back to Florum, Bounty Hunter and Former Jedi Tanya Fett, is lured to the Planet Vanqor after narrowly escaping the explosive aftermath of a heated battle between Separatists and The Republic. After months of isolating herself from the Republic and remaining hidden from the Jedi, she is unwittingly reunited with Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano and Separatist Leader Count Dooku. Pirate Hondo Ohnaka has taken Count Dooku into his custody, and fully intends to hand him over to the Republic for a price. With Tanya grudgingly leading the negotiations. Naturally Chancellor Palpatine, accompanied by Senator Padme Amidala, Representative Jar-Jar Binks, Jedi Masters Mace Windu, Yoda, and Plo Koon, dismissed the pirate, and claimed he was attempting to fool them. Prompting Tanya to reveal herself to her former Master and turning negotiations on their head. Months have passed with no word from her, or if she was even alive, but the tension left from her departure is one she intends to use to keep them from coming closer. Now that the Master and Padawan are reunited, how will Mace Windu proceed before she is lost to him once more.**_

 **xxx**

That penthouse on Rilgar became stuffy quickly. The tension was so thick a high powered plasma blade couldn't knick it. Carver and Scroop withdrew to the hallway, bathing in the minor funnel of air washing over them. Scroop's strongest drink from his secret mixology list wouldn't be able to calm their buzzing nerves. Here they were coming to collect vital intel that will determine their fates and the fate of their Creed. Hopefully drawing closer to the sun setting on The Creed so the members can finally be freed of their bonds. Still, that noose wasn't as suffocating as the rope choking them in the penthouse.

Boba toughed it out, refusing to move from the kitchen's bar. 14 years old and he's discovered his favorite type of devil drink , and the level of his tolerance that he can down three without any sort of effect. No one was going to rat him out to Tanya, and no one was going to stop him. An intervention would be necessary if he picks up a fourth. He has two years before he can drink like a solar sailor. He directed an austere glare to the Mirialan who retreated to the balcony, drowning her woes and shames in her fifth cigar. Izumi had enough audacity to ask Boba why she doesn't recognize him or his sister. Why those two seemed to mentally regress every time she comes around. She was effectively backed into a corner when Boba demanded she explain why she left them in that Hellstorm on Geonosis.

"Keep staring like that and you'll put holes in her." Carver's attempt to lighten the mood dramatically backfired. Boba threw the bottle at him, and he caught it with one hand and dropped it in the receptacle.

"She can't even look me in the eye and answer me!" He frothed at the mouth. "She never was able to tell the truth!"

"I'm sure she has her reasons." Scroop bobbed his claws.

"Stop defending her! You always defend her!" He defended her when she divorced Jango, when she left Boba alone on Ballet, and now. "She doesn't want to tell us because she doesn't have an excuse! She ran from Geonosis just like she ran from us and ran from us! All she knows how to do is run!" Izumi entered the room as she was being accused of being a yellow bellied runner. Anyone else would have clammed up. Boba pushed off his seat and stormed up to her. "You could have taken the slot of number one above Embo if it weren't for the fact that you're such a coward!" Izumi's brow scrunched, but she allowed him to continue. "All you do is lurk in the back and wait for a moment to strike! You never face anything or anyone head on!"

"You seem to have me all figured out, don't you Boy!" She snapped.

"I'm not your boy, and I figured you out years ago!" He took another step closer, ignoring the height difference. "What I can't figure out is why you won't admit why you abandoned us!"

"It's not that I don't want to tell you, Boba!" She stopped him there before she punched him in the nose. She sucked on her lips, rubbing her brow. "I don't want to tell you...without Tanya being here." She breathed defeated. Her shoulders sank despondent. "This is something you both have to hear. Where is she?"

"With Hondo." Scroop answered simply. _Another convenient stalling tactic._ Boba scoffed mentally.

"Contact her and ask her if she can get away for a while. I need to do this in person."

"I'll call her." Boba volunteered, marching for the backroom. "Hondo's likely already irritated her." Scroop and Carver split their sides laughing. That wasn't a maybe. Hondo irritates her the second he calls. That's just a sign she loves him.

 **xxx**

Hondo was quite proud of himself. The reactions from The Republic affiliates were priceless. Incidentally he was recording. Nonetheless, dismissals of his claim to having Dooku were thrown out the window once Tanya set foot into the projection. Needless to say she vehemently protested being in the same room as their projections. Imagine her reaction when Hondo asked her to speak on his behalf. Let's just say he's glad her lightsaber and swords are gone. He'll be left with bruised ribs for weeks being battered with an electric staff. In spite of her tantrum, this was already beginning to work out perfectly. The Jedi, Chancellor, Senator This was one of his more genius plans he's concocted since...taking The Count as his prisoner. Two genius plans in one day - WOOF! Is there a Nobel Prize for this sort of thing? He'll have to find out. Right now, he doesn't want to take his eyes off this storm.

The sheer, ghostly disbelief resonating from the other side of the projector was beyond what anyone can put into words. Windu especially looked like his chocolate complexion just melted right off. He turned to stone, unable to come to terms with Tanya standing right there. Palpatine and Padme held the idea she could be a trick of the hologram. Looking around to Jar- Jar, Plo Koon, and Yoda, that is very much not the case. Tanya wore her signature smirk, posed with her arms folded, unphased by this reunion. What those on the other side of the projection couldn't see was her tail cracking like a whip. Hondo and Dooku ensured they were well out of range. Hondo sucked his teeth, snapping fingers at his men. They escorted Dooku out and to one of the cells. Hondo grabbed a bottle of rum and sat to a panel. This was going to be interesting.

Plo Koon leaned back in his seat, hands folded in his lap. "Tanya Fett." He spoke her name like an old friend who had gone away. "It has indeed been a while, Young One."

" _I would have liked it to be longer but my godfather just knew you'd label him a liar."_ She retorted with biting sarcasm. That clinched it. She was the real deal.

"TANNY!" Jar-Jar threw himself to the projector in happy tears, scaring the daylights out of her and everyone else. He balled waterfalls of joy, kicking like a child. Hondo and Tanya couldn't help laughing at him. Hondo more because he can't believe this dimwit was a member of the senate. Tanya was more understanding of that which is the adorable Jar-Jar Binks. "TANNY! YOU'SA ALIVE! YOU'SA LOOK GOOD!" He pushed up on the projector with a gasping heave, jaw dropping miles wide. Dust his eyes deceive him. He pointed at her head, "YOU'SA CUT YOUR HAIR!" Padme and Palpatine were infected by the laughter. The Jedi were able to relax as well. Leave it to Jar-Jar when the going gets uncomfortable.

" _Hey, Jar. Um, yeah. Yeah, I cut my hair."_ Tanya had to collect herself. She's forgotten how boisterous he ran a hand down the locks she's still not too accustomed to. _"AND WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I DIED?!"_ She roared, a vein clenched in her head.

Jar-Jar scrunched his nose, listing it out on his fingers, "You'sa no call, write, send funny postcard!" He'd even settle for a thumbs up icon once in awhile.

" _BECAUSE I DON'T WANNA BE FOUND!_ " How does he not grasp that concept. She literally left without a word, smashing any way of contacting her. _"I'm good at that! Took you morons years to even realize I existed."_ They had to give her that. She and Jar-Jar were in a puffed cheek pout contest, then curtly huffed and turned away. Padme, Yoda, and Windu had to clear their throats so they wouldn't laugh. This is a very serious discussion.

"Nevertheless," Padme giggled, approaching with rosey cheeks, "It is good to hear from you, Tanya."

" _You…"_ _Dammit!_ Tanya cursed herself. She's blushing. She knows she is. Padme's just like Satine. Sheh as this weird hold on her. _"You too, Padme."_

"I am pleased as well, Young One." The mood went bitter again. Tanya'a deep amethyst eyes scrolling to Palpatine, "Rest assured the others will be happy to know-"

 _"Save it, Palpatine!"_ Tanya silenced him in a breath. That was a quick 180. _"I'm not in the mood for anymore pretty, false words from you!"_ Windu felt that stab, near drawing tears to his eyes. Her mental state is ten times worse than when she was in prison. And it's his fault. No more tea party chatter. Tanya wants this done and done as soon as possible. _"Listen closely! You want the Count, Hondo wants his pay, and I want Dooku and whatever Jedi you're sending to get him GONE! As in in, out, and blazing for Coruscant! Never looking back!"_ She doesn't even want them pausing to admire the conversations of distant grazing hippos. They aren't that interesting anyway.

"How do you know we'll send Jedi?" Tanya glaring murderous daggers, warning Palpatine that Hell isn't enough compensation for treating her like an idiot. "Ah, yes. Very well."

 _"AND you morons are going to pay him with an unarmed diplomatic ship carrying the ransom!"_ Hondo grunted under his breath, hovering his lips to the bottle. He understood she was negotiating on his behalf, but it was deeper than him. And he saw - no... Hondo can feel the ice snaring her heart and her mind cracking. Threads thinning as she struggles to maintain her dwindling sanity. Mace Windu caused worse damage. _"So much as consider betraying us - AGAIN - and believe me when I say, it is not beyond my power to rain Hell on your asses! AM I BEING ABUNDANTLY CLEAR?_ " She sounded firm, but Windu, Yoda, Plo, and Hondo saw it clear as day. The adrenaline fumes on her breath, her shaking palms, and the glossiness in her eyes. She isn't holding up well.

"Clear...crystal." Padme swallowed.

 **xxx**

"Well good!" Tanya took a step back.

"Now, now, Tanya, let us not be unreasonable!" Hondo wrapped an arm around his fuming niece. "We are contacting these fine gentleman and woman in good faith. Offering them a prize that will help them bring this horrendous war to an end." Tanya's nose curled smelling the rum on his breath. She wrote it off as drunk kiss-assing. "Let us be civilized in this delicate matter." He massaged her shoulders, then sneakily shoved her down and out of view. Windu and Jar-Jar gawked confusedly. "And seeing as how we all have a bond associated through her, I will ask for a sum of...egh...TWO millions credits." He impishly fanned two fingers.

" _Two million?!"_ Padme cried outraged. _"But you asked for a million before."_

"What can I say? My mood changes when the devil's drink brings clarity." His smile was the next to fade, a dark leer shot straight at Mace Windu. "And nothing is so clear as this is the LEAST The Republic can pay for what they've reaped." The meaning went unknown until Tanya forced herself back into view.

 **xxx**

"In light of this new price," Palpatine took over, "I am afraid assurances are drastically in need here." He pushed up from his chair. "No offense to you both, but having an ally with you does not breed trust." Tanya and Hondo smirked. They weren't' offended in the least. In fact, they expected this from the get go. But calling Tanya an ally was stretching it.

"We'd like to send two Jedi to confirm you have Count Dooku before delivering the ransom." Padme declared.

" _What's wrong, Padme? Don't you trust me?"_ Tanya purred. Padme stammered nervously. _"Nah. Didn't think so. That's okay. I wouldn't trust me either."_ She licked her lips.

" _Send your Jedi. But they must be unarmed._ " Hondo drew that line.

"Impossible!"

" _They will be safe."_ Hondo reassured them. " _We have no interest in getting involved with your war._ "

 **xxx**

Hondo nodded to Tanya, taking his leave for the duration the chat. Tanya scoffed through her nose. His word is as good as dirt. Not that Windu hasn't caught on to that. "The two Jedi you plan on sending," Tanya placed hands on her hips, grinning menacingly, "I don't suppose they would be Skywalker and Kenobi would they?"

" _How do you-"_ Padme gasped.

"Did I fail to mention I ran into Ahsoka on Vanqor before we called?" She propped knuckles to her chin. Growls vibrated from The Republic group. Ever the sly one. "You may want to send another pair. Last I checked they were being chased by a Gundark inside the caves there. And poison gas was coming out of the floors." Horror struck them like thunder. Gas, a Dundark - what are those two into now?! "And unless those two know those caves, well…" She licked her lips hungrily, eyes shimmering in the sounds of their bones crunching, "The Gundark is going to be eating well tonight."

 **xxx**

Windu slammed his fists to his chair. A monstrous _BOOM_ reverberated the officer. His fellow Jedi, Palpatine, and Jar-Jar nearly lost their skin at the rage fuming from him. Tanya was indifferent. "TANYA, HOW COULD YOU LEAVE THEM LIKE THAT?! You should have helped them?"

" _And why would I do that, Mace? Tell me."_ She dared him with a coo. _"I don't have to babysit you guys anymore, remember? Your war is what put them in this situation."_ He growled venomously, fists curling tightly. _"If your stupidity lands you somewhere without a backup plan, I suggest you brace for the bone shattering impact!"_ She turned partly away, tail swaying in the upright position. She smirked with a hand on her hip, " _Don't worry though. I'll be sure to put their pieces in a nice pine box. You can burn it at the temple._ "

"TANYA!"

" _Later."_ She ended the call. Windu deflated in his seat, a hand masking the sorrow pouring from his eyes. _What have I done?_

"Someone please tell me she isn't serious about this." Palpatine begged.

"We would…" Windu groaned, massaging a temple. "But Tanya is deadly serious when she's like this."

"And what exactly is _this_?" Palpatine wavered.

"Unreasonable." An ominous cloud inflated from those words, leaving all in the room to doubt if Obi-Wan and Anakin will leave Florum. Whole or in pieces.

 **xxx**

A good thing doors are automatic because Tanya would have broken the hinges if she could slam it. Hondo was leaning just outside the door, not reacting to the heat exhuming from her. She marched past him without so much as a sideways glance, quaking the corridor with each step. He waited about ten steps, then proceeded behind her. "Are you alright?" The one question that snuffed out the inch of wick to her patience with him.

She stopped abruptly. "No, Hondo! I'm not alright!" She roared. Hondo paused, brow furrowed. "The Count is HERE! The man who has been stalking me...is HERE! At a place I've called home...FOR YEARS!" Tanya whipped around, grabbed his collar, and yanked him in close. The rage pouring from her rippling eyes was like magma. "And now...now Jedi are on their way! The Republic is going to know I'm here on top of Dooku learning where I come to escape! THIS IS WHAT I TRIED TO AVOID!" She shoved him away. Hondo stomped to keep his balance, clearing his throat. "And you've just literally just waltz them all through the front door!"

Hondo has a very high tolerance for Tanya's blind bursts of abuse. The glare her snared her with warned her to watch her herself the next time she puts her hands on him. And Tanya knows better than to push Hondo too far. "Calm...down." He warned her through gritted teeth.

"I can't! I can't, Hondo, don't you get it?" She tore at her scalp. She can't calm down. Not with Dooku and Jedi so close. And Ahsoka...the sadness in her eyes when Tanya said she wouldn't go back. The looks on the clones. It's killing her. She hurt them. ' _By the gods you're pathetic!_ ' "Shut the Hell up!" She unintentionally blurted.

Hondo's brow furrowed hatefully. _There it is again._ He ignored her seemingly out of place outburst, focusing on the quiver in her sneer, and the sideways glancing glare. _That thing is manipulating her. After so long._ "Is this about the program?"

Tanya and her inner voice put their discord aside, sidelined by Hondo's question. "It's more than the program, alright! They were going to send me back to prison!" Hondo gaped in awe, though knew he shouldn't have been shocked. Normally, someone would question how anyone would sound confident in their claims. However, Hondo is aware of her three month stay on Coruscant after her chosen departure from the Jedi Order. He wondered why she lingered so close. She's sentimental, but not so that she'd hesitate leaving. "I don't care what Valorum permitted! I know the Republic and the assholes who make it up!" Very petty and replaceable assholes. "They will spin my absence however they want and petition under the lamest reason to have my capture initiated! And knowing where I come to hide will only expedite that search!"

"Don't you think you're being paranoid?" That's a stretch. She's force sensitive, but she isn't special. To him, yes. Others...depends.

"Being paranoid is what's kept me alive this whole time, and it's the one thing that's kept me from falling for lies!" He had to give her that one. She sank shamefully, her ears drooping. She hugged her elbows, flashes of her joyous times with Mace Windu weighing on her tightening chest. "Though, apparently, obviously, I felt so secure that I didn't see the biggest lie." Hondo rested a hand between her ears, giving her a tiny scratch. He knows what it means to be fooled by a close companion. But...as odd as it is...he doesn't think Windu's intent was to deceive her.

" 'Scuse me, Lady Eight." A guard flinched at her scrunched glare. "Sorry but...the prisoner asked for you."

"Of course he did!" She snarled. "Tell him I'm not interested."

The guard laughed nervously. "He said you'd say something like that." He itched his cheek in slight amazement. _He called it word for word, actually._ "He then told me to ask you...what was it again?" He knew he shouldn't have had that last bottle of Old Spice Rum. Done and killed his remaining brain cells. Tanya wondered if she'd turn 18 by the time he remembered. "Something about a toy train and Boba?"

"WHAT?!" She screamed, utterly dumbfounded. The guard booked it down the corridor, fearing his life was in jeopardy. "That train…" He can't be talking about...Boba's birthday present? Hondo was completely lost, but clearly saw Tanya's pale complexion. _A train?_ "I'VE GOTTA GO!" Tanya broke into a sprint, sending three guys into a spin. "HOW!" She barked between breaths. "How...does he know...about it?"

 **xxx**

Needless to say, after a few hours for Anakin to mourn the loss of his lady Gundark love, he and Obi-Wan were given a clean bill of health by medics. No serious injuries, their lightsabers were repaired, and they didn't breathe in enough gas for long or short term side effects. Unfortunately, their health took a sour turn by a not so cordial call the Council. Windu and Yoda are pleased Obi-Wan's team made it off Vanqor safely, and that they are hungry to recapture Dooku. However, the price may not be to their taste.

That being said, Windu didn't sugarcoat Hondo's demands in turning Dooku over. Two million credits, a diplomatic ship - the works typical dealers ask for. Anakin wondered why the name sounded so familiar, then was told it was Tanya's godfather who visited the temple not too long ago. After Tanya was losing her mind that her Uncle Kashjeen Amatooli committed suicide and effectively robbed her of her revenge. Not only is he the guy that helped raise Tanya and trained her, he's fully capable of approaching and subduing her while she's in one of her moods. Without flinching. And now he's captured Count Dooku. Is there any more proof on how deceptively dangerous this man is? If there is, they're about to find out. The one good thing about this is he's being reasonable in spite of the trouble it's been to even pinpoint Dooku's location. There might as well be a silver platter.

" _His only stipulation is that you arrive unarmed._ " Windu warned ominously. And the silver platter just went bronze.

"Unarmed?!" Anakin spat. Yeah, because going to a hostile planet of pirates unarmed doesn't beg for trouble.

"We know very little about these pirates." Obi-Wan stated objectively. "We may very well be walking into what could be a hostile situation." He folded his arms, grunting perturbed and glancing to Ahsoka apologetically, "And with Tanya in the mix there are no doubts about the hostility." All the more reason they will need weapons.

"But we KNOW Tanya." Ahsoka stressed pleadingly. She does, Windu does - everyone knows her. "She's...she's crazy and her methods don't make sense, I know! But she'd never attack us without a reason." Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Windu all gave her the same stare that begged her to remember that this is the girl who keeps detailed marks of reasons to pummel someone. And they've seen that list. Ahsoka and Barriss are the only ones not on it. She stood firm, pursed her lips with folded arms, and declared, "She'd never attack me without a reason. You guys I'm not so sure." Their blows on Vanqor notwithstanding. "And if she's given her word, we should give them the benefit of the doubt. Tanya never breaks her word."

" _Do not count on those benefits yet, Padawan Tano._ " Windu forewarned. Though he appreciates the faith. " _Tanya has made her motives clear. Anything more than extracting Dooku will usher her wrath._ " And, as mentioned, Tanya keeps her word. She's stated many times that she doesn't make threats. She makes promises. _"She has declared a severance of allegiances with us._ " He ended with a saddened hum.

"Her choice entirely, right? Former Chancellor Valorum approved as much." Ahsoka shrugged dismissively. Inside she was torn. "I mean, she's not allied with the Separatists. She's gone back to being a Bounty Hunter." Not much better, but preferable. "It shouldn't automatically make her an enemy because she chose not to help us. She's, technically, under no obligation."

"I have to agree with Ahsoka." Obi-Wan input. He stroked his beard pensively. "We may not like them, but Tanya's choices while out on her own are hers to make." As Windu should be well aware. In a sense, she isn't currently a threat to the Jedi or Republic, and her actions while Bounty Hunting haven't actively affected their work. "Unless she openly declared allegiances with the enemy, she's merely...an opposition we will have to tolerate."

" _To a degree, Master Kenobi. To a degree._ " Windu drew the line, widening Ahsoka's eyes fearfully. His point was clear. She's praying it never comes to that. " _Regardless, we can't let Dooku slip through our fingers again. Report back as soon as you arrive."_ The call was ended, leaving a very sour taste in everyone's mouth.

"Well this should be fun." Obi-Wan joked.

"For us or the pirates?" Ahsoka snickered. Rex was exceedingly bothered by the twisted humor in the room.

 **xxx**

Tanya sealed off the holding cells, warning the guards that if anyone came in they'd be killed. SLOWLY! The hallway couldn't have cleared out any faster. Tanya stormed past the numerous cells, her clacking boots resounding like cannon fire. _Someone told him! It's a trick! He's just playing with me._ She told herself. One of those has to explain this. Dooku is a black hole of information. Nothing is beyond his reach to learn. He probably knows she's allergic to nightshade. Known only to close family and friends. Like Carver, who Dooku happens to be close friends with. Within those cells brief instances involving that named train played, infuriating Tanya to the brink of another mental collapse. _'Boba's unbridled joy at getting the train. How grateful he was to Tanya. Those kids who broke it. Their cries as they lied bruised. And...a man.'_ ' Tanya's enraged march was like effectively halted by the cold pangs of memory. How cruel it is. _He couldn't be...no!_ Her ripping eyes fell on his cell. She swallowed a dry lump. She slapped herself from her daze, told herself it's another of his tricks, and then pushed the button.

Dooku was trussed up spread eagle in ray shield cuffs. The stationary pad was properly set for maximum restraint. Nullifying any chance of Dooku channeling the force to break free. A countermeasure, should he become rowdy, was set to a painful stun. In Tanya's opinion it should be set to kill. How notoriously calm he is right now was irritating her. His eyes were relaxed closed, steady and controlled breaths coming in through the mouth and out from the nose. He was in meditation to pass the time. Likely concoct a plan of escape. Tanya grudgingly crossed the threshold, closing the door behind her. That's as far as she went and leaned at the wall. The room felt gut wrenchingly smaller. Everything outside the door was sucked into a vacuum. No sounds so much as vibrated the door. Tanya's neck felt constricted. No words will ever voiced on how uncomfortable she is being alone with him. And the fact that he was meditating made her wish her swords were stuck in a rock on Vanqor.

"AHEM!" She curtly cleared her throat. Dooku's brow twitched, and this smug smirk stretched his wrinkled cheeks. Tanya resisted flinching when he looked at her. "Ahh. So you came. I knew my inquiry would get your attention." _You're just so damn pleased with yourself!_ She hissed, leering venomously. "Now, now. Don't look at me like that. It will ruin your beautiful face."

"I'll ruin yours if you don't tell me what you meant!"

"Typically beauty refers to-"

Tanya plowed a devastating punch into his rib cage. A twisting, force backed punch expunging all his air from his lungs. Saliva hawked from his throat, a raspy moan caught in his clenching throat. "NOT THAT, SMARTASS!" She roared with slit eyes. In the back of her mind she thoroughly enjoyed the free hit. Unfortunately, the Count is a firm believer in turnabout. Dooku, for the first time, bit his tongue in apprehension of a second blow. The white hot pain prickling his abdomen made breathing agonizing. "How do you know about the toy train? Who told you about it?"

"Such...fury." Who's he kidding. Antagonizing Tanya is too entertaining. And learning what riles her ensures he keeps her dancing in his palm. "Misplaced and certainly out of control. How like you..." He spat up a speck of blood. "Speaking with your former master after all this time - tell me," He chuckled menacingly, "Did he try to appeal to your _better sense of understanding_?"

Tanya grabbed his collar, drawing back a fist. He visibly tensed. "Answer me!" She demanded with bared fangs.

"No one _told me_ , Tanya. I was there when you purchased it for Boba."

Tanya blinked confusedly. She doesn't remember him there. Then again, Tanya barely remembers anything from her childhood. The blackouts she used to suffer from really did a number on her memory. Giant jigsaw puzzle or no, she would have remembered seeing someone like him. "You couldn't have been there. I was on Mandalore that day."

"But I was. I recall every instance from the second you exited that shop." Dooku leaned in as close as he could, his smirk widening, "I witnessed you lay flat the hooligans who destroyed Boba's beloved toy with the same. And if you recall, you and Boba were spared an uncomfortable meeting with the authorities because someone spoke on your behalf."

Tanya gaped in astonishment. A man...he stepped in...the parents of those boys ran. "You were...there?"

 **Flashback nine years**

 _We were still living on Mandalore in the residential district. Not too high end but well out of reach from the ne'er do wells. It was Boba's fifth birthday, and he'd been dying to have a toy train he'd seen in a shop window. A subterranean runner with a carbonic alloy shell, fossil acrylic axles and hydraulic piping, complete with added turbines for extra speed. He had the railway to send it on. The train was sold separately. Both were relics from previous transportation methods. Why they were sold separately is something I still don't get. Anyway, I took him to buy that train. Boba rocked the bus the whole way, imagining it running down the track at full speed. He was drooling._

 _The shopkeeper gave us a nice discount since it was Boba's birthday, and the kid looked like he was going to have a conniption. It was the last one. Boba was already out the store when it was handed to him. I finished paying the shopkeeper, then he looked distraught. I turned and saw these three older boys stole Boba's train and were playing keep away, laughing and mocking him. I rushed out of the store, money still in hand, and wasn't shocked in the least to see a crowd of adults doing absolutely nothing. Good for nothing ornaments I would have loved to shatter._

" _Hey!" I shouted to the boys. "Give my brother back his toy!"_

" _And what are you gonna do if we don't?" The lead boy taunted. He dangled the train mockingly, holding the shorter Boba back by the forehead._

 _My tiny fists balled. My pupils narrowed to slits. "I'll leave all you all your teeth!"_

 _Of course the three boys snickered at the one girl threatening them. "Fine." He scoffed and started handing Boba his toy. He was about to thank him, his joy of his toy returning. Then SMASH! The boy smashed the train to millions of pieces, making Boba break down in tears. "Oops! Clumsy you! Too bad hug, Sis!" The three boys threw their heads back, laughing in Boba's face, savoring his misery._

 _I don't really remember what happened next. One second I was standing ten feet away, the next the kid who broke the train was on the ground crying with a bloodied mouth. The whole front row of his teeth were missing. Judging from the blood and teeth at the railing, and the hairs in my hand, I bashed his face in. His friends and the bystanders were horrified. Boba was laughing it up. "I warned you." I crooned, motioning and daring them to come at me. Those two didn't stand a chance. I kicked the first in the groin, then tripped the other into a faceplant. It was my turn to laugh. I spat in their faces and said, "Wrong kids, boys!"_

 _Their parents came in eventually and tried to threaten to tell our parents. Laughable still, they threatened to have us thrown in prison. Pompous parents with pompous kids. I was about to tell them to go piss off...when the space felt weird. From the shadow of the crowd, this man wearing a cloak stepped in. He was...dressed in a tunic. I couldn't really see his face. Past the flap, there was a strange object was clipped at his hip. His brown eyes glowed in the hood, and they met mine. I'll never forget the shock I felt when he acknowledged me. At the time I never really paid much attention to my force powers. I didn't rely on them save for when I needed to know if Dad was lying about where he was going. The only way I can describe it is...the person I sensed...WANTED their presence to be known. I say this because the frothing between those parents, Boba and I, and the full attention of the crowd shifted to him. He'd been there since the fight started and decided it was time to intervene._

" _Involving authorities would be ill advised." His voice was deep. There was a rumble to it. "I bore witness to your sons bullying this young man, and marveled as his elder sister defended him." A sweep of his hand raised an agreeable murmur from the crowd. The biting outrage at the arrogance of these parents backed them into a corner. I was amazed. He turned the tide with a few words. The man helped gather the pieces of Boba's train, placing them inside a bag and handing it to him. "It looks worse than it is," He said with a warm smile, "I'm sure it can be reassembled if you and your sister work on it together."_

 _Boba took the bag in his arms, hugging it to his chest. "Th-thank you…"_

" _Of course." He ruffled Boba's hair, then shot a glare at the fuming parents. "You are done intoxicating the air with your presence. LEAVE!" Out of pride the parents were about to protest. The glowering crowd sealed their mouths and sent them on their way. "That takes care of that."_

" _Thank you again." I blushed, wrapping my arms around Boba. "That was way cool!"_

 _He chuckled at me charmingly, "Not as cool as you single handedly taking those boys down a peg." I grinned wide, erecting two fingers in victory. "Well I must be off. There is work to be done. Young man," Boba stood at attention, "Be sure to rebuild that train. It's one of a kind." Boba bobbed his head, promising to do so. "And you, young lady," Like most when they see me, he scratched me behind the ear. He came in close. I could feel him seeing inside of me. Honestly I felt exposed. He then smiled victoriously. "You have the gift, my dear. Be sure to hone it." I was stunned. He knew I was force sensitive. That's when his presence became pronounced. He exposed himself to me. Then that thing at his hip was...a lightsaber. That...lightsaber. The curve..._

 **Flashback End**

Tanya was speechless by utter, unbridled disbelief. It was impossible. It can't possibly be true. That voice...the lightsaber...the method of force his presence unto others...are presently unmistakeable. Tanya shakily lifted her head, the daze only unveiling where Dooku was centered on her sight. "That...was you…?" No...it couldn't be. She refuses to believe it.

"Ventress did not believe me either. But I knew you would." He told his apprentice that he has met Tanya long before Geonosis. Fate is funny sometimes. "I never forgot your savagery when those you care for are in jeopardy. The nobility of it stayed with me." As his coup de grace, he added in, "The boy was able to replace his teeth, by the way. But you've left him with a tick in his jaw for life."

The lightning she and he conjure from their fingertips struck her in a violent rebound. Tendrils of his domineering presence coiled at her ankles, slithering ever so slightly up. Her knees buckled together, crippling under the undeniable truth. Her tail wrapped to her hips, futility trying to keep her steady. Her arms hugged her wrenching stomach, the bile of this tale too much to stomach. Her ears folded back to block out his venomous words. And her eyes remained frozen open with horror. "You were there…" She squeaked. "You were...the man in the cloak…" This can't be the reason! His obsession with her...it can't be from that ONE meeting.

"I was. I am. And just like then, I am enthralled by the savagery you unleash." Tanya's body regressed to jelly. The cold wall was at her back, and she didn't register her sliding to the floor. Dooku can sense she is, with every fiber of her stubbornness, trying to deny his words. "Ironically, it wasn't until our second meeting where I confirmed my fascinations weren't folly." Their second meeting...Geonosis. That's the first time she...she...met with him...after all these years. Jar-Jar was dying. She threatened to kill him if he got in the way. "Once assigned a mission - be it your own or by another - the devotion you exercise is nothing short of astounding."

"Lady Eight!" The door burst open. Tanya yelped and rocketed to her feet. Her heart was ready to leap from her chest. The Guard feared he walked into a very volatile situation. Tanya sure was pale. "I know you said no one in or out, but the Jedi are here." He spoke fast.

"It would seem they have come for us, Tanya." Dooku taunted.

"Not us! Just you!" Her bite came back. She nodded thankfully to the guard, asking him to start ahead without her. She glared back at Dooku, "I'm not going back."She marched for the door.

"Then why not come with me?" Chills down her spine stopped her in the arch. Her stomach curdled at the audacity in his arrogance to actually conceive the idea she'd jump at that. "Boba would be welcome as well. Senator Bonteri does miss you terribly."

Without looking at him she exited the room and mumbled, "That's nice…" She closed the door, leaving The Count in his minor victory.

"She didn't say no." There's another bit of information he found curious as well. Why has she been referred to as Lady Eight? What does that number mean?

 **xxx**

Obi-Wan and Anakin, under extreme protest, entered Florum in the requested diplomatic ship with their lightsabers left behind. Anakin was already unarmed seeing as he lost his lightsaber back in the caves on Vanqor. Boy is he going to hear it when they get back to Coruscant. Might actually be a more amicable situation than what they were flying into.

The ship's thermostat registered a triple digit temp the moment they entered the atmosphere. That temp skyrocketed another 200 degrees the closer they drew to the compound. An army awaited their touch down, and right in the middle, sticking out like a sore thumb, was a cat eared girl whose anger was hotter than the climate. As Obi-Wan said, this was going to be fun. For the pirates.

Obi-Wan and Anakin cautiously exited the ship, acknowledging the clicks and piercing whirs of rifles. The hoard of Weequay trained their rifles for their torsos, ready to open fire the second they twitched out of line. The threat of blasters didn't unnerve seasoned veteran Jedi such as theirselves. With the two of them, they could easily disarm their _hosts_ and turn the tables. No, it was the arrival of Tanya that ushered the waterfall of sweat down their backs. The firing squad parted ahead as she approached. Anakin and Obi-Wan were internally debating if it was her new clothes, the look in her eye, or the murderous manner she stood in that put them on edge. Seeing as it's Tanya, it's likely all three.

A Weequay raced to them with a scanner, tracing every inch of the Jedi for spare weapons. Obi-Wan and Anakin couldn't help blaming Tanya for his thorough search. They didn't need to see that glare of hers to know she didn't trust them to come without weapons. Honestly, they would have packed spare lightsabers if negotiations weren't so volatile. The scan came up clear and he went to Tanya. "Ahsoka was not kidding. She does look different." Obi-Wan whispered bothered. The Weequay who scanned them was reporting to her. Tanya's revolting leer never ceased to dart between them and the pirate talking to her. "I don't recognize her at all."

"Maybe it's the hair." Anakin's joke earned him a disapproving glare.

"Be serious, Anakin. It's very clear Tanya will only talk business." He sighed dismally, "We were warned not to expect any clemency."

"But why? It's not like we did anything!" He scoffed. Tanya's always over dramatic. This whole disappearing act all because of…"Oh…" Anakin began to understand. He was stunned when he recalled why Tanya vanished in the first place. "The Reformation Program. An idea proposed by Valorum and retained by our Republic."

"It was the ultimate betrayal. Tanya was acquitted, brought into our temple to be raised and trained, accepted to a point, only to learn she was a subject in a forgotten program." Obi-Wan finally took a breath, winded by this whirlwind. "Mace knew from the start, and never once spoke a word. And to learn a committee of 25 would rule to either imprison her or free her indefinitely-"

"The odds were stacked against her. I would have left too." He's been tempted. "But she can't carry that grudge to us. WE never knew about it." He stressed, looping the small circle to him and Obi-Wan. They're innocent.

"No, we didn't. And Tanya must know that."

"Then why take her rage out on us?"

"One of Tanya's faults is she's an opportunist. I wouldn't put it past her to attack us since Mace isn't here." Anakin's expression twisted fearfully. Tanya did punch Minister Roku's aid for backing his choice to limit the funding to homeless shelters to fund the war. The Minister was off planet at a rally demanding he be impeached.

"They're unarmed as requested." The Weequay confirmed to Tanya. "Didn't see that coming."

"Neither did I." She entered some new information, then handed him a tablet. "Find these guys. I'd like to speak with them later." He nodded and ran off. Tanya audibly groaned, rolling her eyes with beaming rancor. She can turn around and go back inside, tell one of the guys to escort those two in. Then she'll never hear the end of it from Hondo. She stomped over without hiding her disdain. Anakin and Obi-Wan wondered if it was too late to run. "Well I'd say it's good to see the both of you, but considering who you dropped at our doorstep, I'd much rather see the scavengers eating your corpses."

The two laughed sickly, taking two steps back. "Uh...lovely to see you as well, Tanya. It's great to see you doing well." Obi-Wan attempted to break that ever thickening and chilling ice.

"Is it? I bet your senate would disagree." She sardonically blinked with a crooked smile.

"Tanya-"

"Save it!" She waved a hand, spinning on her heels. "Hondo's waiting for you." Three of the Weequays followed her. The rest ensured the Jedi didn't do anything...stupid.

"Yep. This isn't going to be awkward." Anakin breathed sarcastically. He's never wanted to be ripped for losing his lightsaber so badly.

 **xxx**

What shouldn't come as a surprise is Hondo was waiting in the dining hall. A pretty label for what is literally a brothel of sweaty, honry, beyond inebriated pirates and dancers. A couple of dancing pirates. They were taken to bed early before dogs were mixed with melons. The guards helping escort the Jedi departed to join the festivities. Obi-Wan and Anakin masked their flinch under the booming music. Tasteless to their ears. Tanya, on the other hand, tapped her hand to the beat. They never pegged her for obscure, exotic dance. Truly what would be the understatement of the century would be mentioning the 100 pound gravity glares bombarding the Jedi. Even Tanya was wrenching out how awkward the mile long walk to Hondo. Obi-Wan and Anakin stood out worse than a crack in glass. At least a crack is easily fixed and tolerated. These two were spreading and spreading, disrupting the infrastructure. What made it more painful is everyone attempted to be inconspicuous with their leers. The itchy trigger fingers, the knives dancing between palms, drinks suddenly coming with extra ingredients. The whole hall was ready to pounce. And unfortunately, as this is supposed to be a peaceful meeting - term used loosely - Tanya is obligated to kill anyone who so much as spits on them.

Anakin and Obi-Wan distracted themselves from the stares by being turned off by the drunkards collapsing from their chairs. One was lying in a pool of his own vomit under a table. Three dancers were bathing in an herbal smoke in a corner. Clearly a potent drug. And then there was the guy thinking he was a senator. "Want to know the worst part?" Tanya snickered.

"Please." Obi-Wan moaned.

"On Florum, it's not even 10am." She winked.

"Oh geez." Anakin sank.

"GENTLEMEN," Hondo flamboyantly greet from his center stage spot at the well guarded table at the back of the room, "Can I offer you a drink?!"

"They're not old enough!" Tanya snapped, a vein pulsing in her temple. Anakin coughed offended. He's older than her. Obi-Wan was flattered. Nonetheless, they kindly refused. Hondo batted a full cup to them all the same. Tanya swiped it, chugged it, then slammed the cup down with a slurp of the extra on her chin.

"Congratulations on your capture of Count Dooku." Obi-Wan formerly began. "Very impressive."

"Yes it was." Hondo raised his glass. "Even a Sith Lord is no match for my warriors!" Tanya groaned embarrassed. He was speaking of the unconscious men piled to the tables. "He put up an amazing fight! ONE that I KNEW my beautiful niece would come out unscathed from. Truly, you Jedi underestimated and undermined skills you should have helped her hone." He really needs to stop talking before she kicks him in his cannon. "In the end, however, his skills proved to be the better. Especially with that glowing stick!" He swung his arm, making whooshing sounds.

"Lightsaber." Obi-Wan, Tano, and Anakin corrected monotone.

"That's it! And I don't need to tell you how damaging those things are." Anakin gaped at Hondo's pet climbing to his lap. The fiendish vermin was clutching his long lost lightsaber in his greedy little paw. "My men were carved up pretty good before I could jump in. Nearly lost Tanya."

"And how exactly did you get the jump on him?" Anakin crooned, patronizing him. "With this?!" He opened his palm. Tanya remained idle. His lightsaber was pried from the animal's paw and back into his hand. Anakin's victory was snuffed in seconds by the barrels in his face.

"Oh boy…" Tanya huffed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Guys, guys, please, let's not do this!" She bobbed her hands, urging everyone to keep the safeties on. She politely held her hand out to Anakin. "Please remember we are to be on our best behaviors." Something Anakin is foreign in. He reluctantly handed her his lightsaber, then she tossed it to Hondo.

"We have no intention of disagreeing with you." Obi-Wan swore, moving a rifle from his face. Besides, Tanya's an open book complete with a poor poker face when it comes to perpetual hot air. Hondo's charade wouldn't pass her sniff test bathed in every fragrance. "We merely wish to confirm you have Count Dooku and we'll go."

"Oh we have him! And he's chatty!" Tanya spat his foul tasting name. "The sooner you guys get him out of here the better."

"Very well. Tanya." Tanya's lips pursed, her head twisting like a rusted knob. Hondo gestured to the door with his full cup, "Escort our guests to the holding cells."

"Why me?!" She slapped hands to her chest.

"You have a lot of catching up to do. And besides," He leaned in on his elbows, snickering menacingly, "I can't trust anyone else to keep them...honest." Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged suspicious glances. And not because of the slide at them being untrustworthy. Tanya's fingers stiffly curled. The rabid growls chased half his men away. She stormed off in a rage. Obi-Wan and Anakin quickly thanked Hondo and chased after her. Hondo chuckled pleased with himself, "Easy as six, seven, eight."

 **xxx**

"GRAH!" Tanya screamed at the top of her lungs, earthquakes caused in the corridor by her stomping "I'm going to shoot him in the foot, leave him in the desert, and then come back the next morning to see if he died!" Her tirade proceeded into crude hand gestures of her crushing him into paste and then using him to put up new wallpaper. Then she moved to wanting to put him in a jet engine and slowly watching him roast.

Obi-Wan and Anakin couldn't help laughing. It's so nostalgic. Tanya shot a glare at them. "Sorry! Sorry! It's refreshing to hear your violent rhetoric! It's missed greatly." Obi-Wan tenderly smiled.

"Better take a recording." She increased her pace, never happier that Dooku's cell was on the approach. "Once you have him, I want you guys so damn far away so fast that it's like you never set foot here!" They heard her loud and clear. Appropriately, they heard the hurt in her voice. They lowered their heads, knowing full well this wasn't going to be easy. In all truth, perhaps this is one they should leave alone. Windu may wordlessly wish Tanya back, but this isn't one he can have. That being said, Tanya wasn't able to stand the depressing silence. She should at least try to be social. Just for posterity. "How, um...how's Ahsoka? You know, after our sparring session."

Anakin brightened at her small talk. He knew she still cared. "She's good. Bruised, but can't wait for round two."

Tanya's bitterness cracked into a full laughing smile. "That's my girl." She purred.

"Barriss misses you too." Obi-Wan stated. "She said the next time she sees you she'll be educating you on proper updates."

"I know. I miss her too." She sighed warmly. She tucked hairs behind her ear, her flushed cheeks hidden by her hair. "I miss a handful of you." She tried to say it quietly. By those smiles she might as well have said it on a microphone. Tanya never thanked a door for coming up so fast. "Now enough mush. Confirm and exit!" She slammed a fist to the button, opening the cell. She mushed them in. Obi-Wan and Anakin took it as a small victory. She said she misses them. That's a good sign. But is it enough? _Beep-beep-beep._ "I've gotta take this." She closed the door behind them. A very apprehensive Boba answered her. "Boba? Is everything alright?"

" _In a sense."_ He rubbed the back of his head anxiously. _"Tauhn, Izumi has something she wants to tell us and she wants you to be here for it."_

"That's a problem…" She trailed off, leaning to the wall. Her ear to the wall, she heard the mocking of Dooku's predicament begin. "I don't think I'll be getting away anytime soon. Why? What's happening?" If Izumi's calling for a face to face, it's usually bad news.

 **xxx**

Karma truly is a beautiful thing. Hours ago Anakin was a prisoner of Dooku, and now Dooku is the prisoner of planet hopping thieves and their pets. The irony was delicious. The incomparable, unmatched, esteemed Count captured by a drunk, a cat, and a weird red monkey thing. Mocking him was only the tip of the trophy.

"You must be quite pleased with yourself, Young Skywalker." Dooku brushed off his usual childish taunts. "But it must aggravate you that squabbling pirates did what you are clearly too incompetent to do on your own."

"And what does that say about you?" Anakin crooned. "These squabbling pirates caught you like a fish on a hook!"

"Had I not been engaged with Tanya they would never have had the opportunity." The two jedi exchanged baffled glances. "Did you not know? Your Padawan Tano was not the only one to exchange blows with Young Miss Fett." A grin came to his face, a sparkle in his eye. "With your leash removed I was privileged to face the wrath she so desperately quelled in order to please her _master._ "

"Tanya seems to distract you a lot." Obi-Wan teased. He came in close, hands on his hips, "You know she's 60 years your junior, right?" He winked.

"And yet she would still choose me over the likes of you." And that was a bolt to the chest. A previous conversation on the ship greatly debated Tanya's allegiances. Whether or not she'd remain a hunter...or be swept up by the Separatists. And as it happens, Tanya and Dooku have interesting conversations when they meet. One would dare say she has a relationship with him. "If you think your presence will sway our kitten friend into joining you," He chuckled darkly, "You both are as transparent as you are naive. She will never rejoin the people that betrayed her." Their brows furrowed. "That being said, underestimate these pirates - their leader - at your own peril. They have nothing to lose by killing you save for compensation."

"Tanya gave her word we wouldn't be touched. We trust her." Anakin stated firmly and without hesitation.

"As you should. She keeps her word to the letter." Dooku knows this well. His snicker beckoned doubts. "But we all know there are ways to incapacitate an enemy without ever laying a hand on them." His teeth showed in a malicious grin, his eyes glowing like a demons. "And Tanya is nothing if not a master in that craft." The scariest part of this whole conversation is...he's right. The two snuck a glance at the girl pacing outside talking to someone on the holocom. They suddenly began to doubt if Tanya's sense of honor remained when she left.

 **xxx**

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Tanya promised. She bit her tongue when Obi-Wan and Anakin came sauntering out. "I gotta go. Keep me posted." She ended the call, shoving the com into her pocket. She can see they were curious, and made it clear she wouldn't breathe a word. "Are you guys satisfied now?" Her curt tone was back in a hellfire. Whatever that call was it rubbed her the wrong way.

"In so little words." Obi-Wan chortled.

"Good. Let's get the ransom part over with so you can leave faster." She bee lined for the door. "And this time I won't be part of that call! So don't ask!" She split her hands, ripping the holding cell's doors apart. "The less I see of you people the better!"

"Tanya, be reasonable." Obi-Wan pleaded, racing right to her side. Dooku's words left a sour taste in his mouth. The trio made it outside, lowering their voices so the leering pirates didn't develop bionic hearing. Obi-Wan moved in front of her, coaxing her to a halt. "Understand that we know you feel betrayed, but avoiding Mace isn't going to change anything. Running won't erase what you feel." He braced hands to her shoulders, preventing her from turning away. "Speak with him!" He begged. "Face this turmoil just as you did when you learned Kashjeen murdered your parents."

"DON'T YOU DARE COMPARE THIS TO THAT!" She shoved him off. There was a sudden silence around them. Everyone stopped what they were doing, hands on their pistols. Tanya extended a hand, staying those trigger fingers. They went back to their mingling, while straining half their attention to putting holes in the Jedi's heads. "Why the Hell would I remotely consider talking with him? He ratted me out to the people that would send me back to prison in a heartbeat!"

"What do you mean?" Anakin arched a seething brow.

"I'm sure Ahsoka told you I took a brief three month moment stay on Coruscant after I disappeared. You learn a lot in three months." Anakin and Obi-Wan might have heard about it. But they were interested what this has to do with the Reform Program. "In one month the Reform Committee was going to come to a ruling! I was going to rot in prison!"

"What?!" The two gasped. That can't be right.

"Apparently I haven't pranced on death's door enough times, or been beaten to brink of a coma enough for them to trust me!" Not that they trusted her when she walked through the door on day one. "Then, of course, there's the matter of the old republic killing those who beat their expectations."

"Tanya…" Obi-Wan reached for her.

"NO!" She unsheathed her famed knife from her sleeve. Obi-Wan stepped back with his hands raised. "The republic led me on a leash! Told me, because of my connections with Jabba and my Bounty hunting prowess I would be invaluable. And me being force sensitive was an added bonus!" Something she didn't buy for a second. "Truth is, they were bored and wanted a dancing monkey. Instead they got an emotionally scarred teenager with homicidal tendencies that can move things with her mind!" She folded her arms, scoffing venomously. "Not to mention there was a certain hooked nosed Count with his eyes on me. Lesser of two evils." She rolled her eyes.

Anakin and Obi-Wan paled. Tanya shook her head, tried to leave before she breaks her promise to Padme. "Tanya! Wait! Let's talk!" Anakin pleaded.

"NO! NO!" She swung her hand, her eyes glossing with rage. She;s heard enough. She won't be lied to again. "I don't want to talk to you, look at you, remotely be anywhere near you!" Obi-Wan held Anakin back, prompting the space to grow wider than it already is. "I want you, The Count, and whoever's coming to get as far away from me as possible! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE!" That was her final word on the matter, and she disappeared into the crowd.

Anakin groaned in woefully, rubbing the back of his neck. She hid it well, but her pain came forward nonetheless. "She really liked being part of us."

"That she did." Obi-Wan titled his head back. The weight on his shoulders suddenly felt heavier. "She's hurting badly."

"Is there anything that we can do?" Anakin implored.

"I'm afraid not." That ship left the hangar a long time ago. Obi-Wan caught glimpses of the neverending leers gliding over them. "I'm also afraid this may very well be an elaborate trap."

"Worried about Dooku?" The man who's strung up like a holiday bird.

"I'm worried about these pirates." A very volatile bunch willing to start fights over drinks and spices. Two broke into a fight when a small person bumped into one and he blamed the other.

"Jedi!" A Weequay beckoned them gleefully, arms wide open in welcome. "Now that your business is completed, we invite you to join us in the grand hall for a banquet." He professed with a hand to his missing heart and a bow at the hips. "And a true Weequay banquet is NOT to be missed." There's the trap they were expecting. The question remains is: Do they accept the offer and spring it? Catching them off guard? Or do they decline, return to their ship, and wait in space for the ransom to come? There's actually a third question in there. Which one guarantees they won't have the entire compound up in arms against them.

 **To be continued.**


	15. Crashes, Burns, and Scars

**Crashes, Burns, and Scars**

 **xxx**

Tanya took one of the speeders and drove out to the canyons. The desert's night air was already humid, not the slightest cool breeze at the mach speeds she drove. There's a spot inside the canyons where she can hide and no will think to find her. A narrow tunnel that lead to a cave exit that overlooked miles and miles of open desert. The way the sand was blowing across the rising and falling dunes gave the appearance of an ocean's ripple. Closing her eyes, Tanya will hear the washing of waves, and feel her troubles roll off her back. The dipping horizon meeting the sky always amazed her, confirmation that the world was round. On the ground it all feels so flat. Never going farther than a sudden drop to who knows where. A familiar feeling that is.

She'd sit to the curve of the cave, relaxing to the stone, miraculously able to find comfort against the hard surface. Her leg would sway aimlessly off the edge. A fall that would shatter a man worse than porcelain hitting a solid cement wall was beneath her. The idea of that plummet got her blood pumping, her adrenaline spiking. Not in suicidal thoughts, never. She used to dive from cliffs on her home planet as a child. That fall, when she closes her eyes, makes her feel like she's flying. And when she'd hit the water, feel the bubbles scale her curled body and the current take its hold, she'd been transported to a world far from this one. Where nothing can touch her, and no one can hurt her. She'd love to be in that world right now. This one was bringing on too many problems.

"And I thought I was having a bad day." She's never felt so sorry for Boba.

 **Flashback**

" _Please tell me this is a joke!" She frothed at the mouth._

" _I wish it was." Boba moaned, bouncing his shoulders. "Izumi's contacts pinged ten planets that the Knights could be using as a hiding place." Boba sent that list to the tablet she had in the ship she borrowed. Ten planets, hundreds of provinces, thousands of homes and bunkers to search. That's a decade of anyone's life just to bring it to one planet, one province, and one home or bunkar. "Izumi thinks Aurra has told the others the bad news, but I think she'll keep this on the need to know until our list shrinks."_

" _You'd know her better than me." However, that is what Jango and Hondo would do. "But seriously, this is the best our Creed's nerds can do!" She paced back and forth irately past Dooku's cell. "What's the point in even having an intelligence team if they are more stupid than the drunks I'm currently boarding with!"_

" _HEY!" Two guards roared._

" _Sorry!" Tanya waved them off. She rolled her eyes. They know it's true. "We can't be too mad with Izumi. She's done 80% of the work while we twiddled our thumbs with scraps." Boba bobbed his head, reluctantly agreeing to their laziness. "We have names of planets, names of Knights that are above and below ground. Have her send a message to inspect the ones below ground." The dead tell grander tales than the living. No lies, no secrets, and no privacy. "And she's not wrong in wanting to use Alexei and Lightraide to thin the scope. Too bad they're locked up in the max prison on Coruscant that I-" This powerful spark shocked the hell out of the back of her head. A very daunting thought just came on. And judging from the look on Boba's face, she can guess what the cost is for using to guys on Coruscant. He looks like he did when he ate five burgers, drank two smoothies, and went on the windiest roller coaster at an amusement park on Pantora. "Why am I getting that feeling I'm about to get some really annoying news?"_

 _Boba scuked through pursed lips, bracing himself for heavy fire. "An extraction is the only way we'll ever get answers from them." Meaning someone needs to go inside that prison, grab Alexei and Lightraide, and make it out before anyone's the wiser. "Izumi wants you to go back to Coruscant and find a way inside to Lightraide and Alexei."_

" _In other words…" Tanya's entire body quaked. Taking every ounce of restraint to not make her scream or kill the nearest guy, "She wants me...HA...to go back...to the Jedi!" She spat acid on their title, snorted with abject hatred in order to not yell at him. She clamped a hand to her eyes, biting her lower lip and drawing blood. "She wants me...to go crawling back...for two guys...that may never breathe a word to us!"_

" _Tanya we already knew we needed them!" He pleaded the case, wanting her to see the bright side of all this. Alexei and Lightraide are the only Knights that are alive and in one place. Annalise - gutted. Thrax - in the wind. Kashjeen - dead. All leads gone and in the wind save for those two. "What she's proposing will free us faster!"_

" _By throwing me back to those force wielding wolves and their senate pets!" Victory by any cost is The Creed's montra. Since Izumi isn't a benefactor, "Tell Izumi that she can royalty kiss my ass! I'm not going anywhere near them again!" Not mentioning the Jedi currently there along with a Sith Lord. "She has an issue she can tell it to my face when I get there!" Whenever that is. "Anything else she wants me to know?!"_

" _Again, that's for when you get here."_

" _I'll be there as soon as I can." Tanya heard the cell open. Obi-Wan and Anakin exited. "I gotta go. Keep me posted."_

 **Flashback End**

"GRRAAHH!" Lightning conducted around her wrist. She swept her hand to the greying dawn. Five streams launching from her fingers, reflecting within the storm brewing in her eyes. The hissing clash of those streams scared critters back into their burrows, then they died on the air. They felt like they lacked their usual oomph. Caught her by surprise. She's so distracted right now, she dismissed it as her head being out of the game. She used to climb to the highest peaks of wherever she roosted in order to clear her head. The vast horizon scanning before her, the drop that would make a lesser man lose his lunch, and the feeling of that free clean air washing around. Now it just pisses her off worse than Jango's lies about his late night escapades. She drew her hand back, prying herself from the cave wall, and returned to her speeder. "To think the air used to do me some good."

Tanya returned to the compound just as the sun rose above the horizon. The lasers greeting her as she came to the gates didn't bother her. By the security on the main wall they're expecting company. Meaning those Jedi are still there and waiting for that ransom. The guards opened the gate for her. She tossed them a bag of their favorite herb she finds in that hiding place of hers. They love the stuff. Makes the grog groggy before it touches their lips. She cringed scathignly at the ship still docked in the yard. She may have secretly hoped they were gone. She parked the speeder, stretching off the vibrations in her back and thighs. She arched a brow at how three of Hondo's boy recoiled. Bunching together in a wall.

"Hey, guys. How's it going?" She sat to a crate with her hands planted back, crossing her legs with a smirk. "Kill the Jedi yet?" A partial joke. She only asks because she knows full well they've been dying to put a couple of Jedi heads on the mantle. Even without their lightsabers, none of these morons stood a chance against Obi-Wan, Anakin, or Dooku. Her optimism of their visit soured to alarm by their maniacal chuckling. Bumping fists, raising cups, and the ever favored tell of rubbing fingers together in anticipation of money. "Oh no! What'd you do?!"

 **xxx**

Hondo was in the southern corridor looking out at the gorgeous Florum desert. He and his right hand man Turk were drooling in anticipation of the ransom that would be falling into their laps in a matter of hours. Capturing the Count was pure stroke of luck. Capturing the JEDI? Pure stroke of genius! The republic is willing to pay millions for one man. They can only imagine what they'd pay for two more that happened to be Republic favorites. Hell! The Separatists might pay triple for those two. And Turk need not worry how much it all adds up to in the end. Hondo is nothing if not fair. He'll give Turk his cut, and then he'll pay tribute to his mother for her savvy business sense being hereditary.

Suddenly there was a cold front when Tanya finally tracked him down. "YOU DRUGGED THEM? REALLY?" She screamed. Turk rapidly excused himself, running for his life for other side of the compound. And to enlist his buddies in a little...sabotage. "It's bad enough you invite them to dinner in honor of _friendship!_ " The air quotes stress how shocked she is that he remotely knows what that word means. "But then you drug their drinks and lock them up with Dooku?! Are you crazy?!"

"Oh good! You're all caught up!" Hondo cackled with wide arms. He always knew she was the clairvoyant one.

"Hondo Ohnaka this is the stupidest idea you've had since that time you used Boba to sneak peaks at those dancers on Zygerria!" She jabbed a finger in his chest. Might as well be a knife.

"Hey!" He latched ah and to her wrist. "That worked brilliantly and she earned a honeymoon with Lancel!" He has the photos to prove it.

"To a mine field on Galaga!"

"Nuance." He wrapped an arm to her waist, leading her down the hall. "The point is, this suits our purposes well, AND," She glowered at the finger on her nose, "We did not break our promise. Leaving you trustworthy." He patted one cheek and kissed the other.

"What are you babbling about?" She moved out of his arms, sitting to a window ledge. Mostly because the grog on his breath was making her eyes water. "Once the Republic learns what we did, all Hell is going to break loose." And that's if the Sepies don't learn what's happened to their beloved Count. "Kenobi and Skywalker's battalions are nothing short of annoyingly fierce when their generals are in danger."

"There is no WE! My men drugged them. No hands were laid." He raised his figuratively clean hands. As was agreed upon in the talks with The Republic. "And fierce or not, The Republic is full of bleed hearts like you said. They won't risk the lives of their most beloved Jedi." Tanya rolled her eyes at his making sense. She hates it when he makes sense. Hondo curled fingers under her chin, bringing her to meet his perturbed expression. "I thought you'd be all for this plan."

"I wanted them gone before the next morning! Having them here-"

"Is the perfect practice of karma." He pressed a finger to that thick skull of hers. "Jedi and Sith who have lead you around are now on OUR-LEASH. Their lives are in our hands." He purred malevolently, crushed his fingers to a fist. "They blink wrong, we gouge their eyes. They talk back, we take their tongues. We do to them what they did to you for so long." He leaned to the window sill, "And once we are done with them, ha-ha, we leave them for the desert."

"Hondo…" Tanya sighed dismally, sinking at how unrealistic he's being. He does something like that and they will have the war at their doorstep. "I really hope you know what you're doing. I can't lose anyone else right now." It was all she can say. Hondo is not unlike a child. Tell him he can't do something and he'll go to Hell, Heaven, and Purgatory to prove you wrong. And she doesn't have the mental tolerance for it right now.

"And you won't." He promised, taking her hand between both of his. "I've never abandoned you or Boba in the past. I won't do it now." She smiled softly at that. It's true. He actually snuck gifts into her prison cell, and was able to show her proof of Boba having awesome birthdays. "Now, for the real reason for why I wanted you and Boba here." Boba obviously couldn't make it. Hondo showed her a little list that made her eyes widen with anger. "How are you about pest control?" Her grim smile, and the grey shade of her slit eyes, was all the answer he needed.

 **xxx**

Senator Kharrus and Jar-Jar were nominated as the envoys to deliver the ransom and make the trade. Within the array of sour news that's been gliding past their heads, calm was brought about by the Senator and Representative arriving to Florum safely. Previous dogfights and abductions left little hope for a positive outcome. Once the ransom is delivered, Hondo will hand over Count Dooku, and then Kharrus and The Jedi on scene will help deliver him back to Coruscant where he will be immediately tried and executed for his crimes. The ultimate outcome being this war coming closer to a conclusion. Grievous and Ventress are dangerous in their own right, but they do not possess Dooku's shrewd business or military tactics. They won't bring the separatists far, let alone to victory, without the head of their snake.

Palpatine, Padme, and the trio of Jedi Council Members brooded in silence of the inevitable ransom swap with Hondo Ohnaka. Jar-Jar and Kharrus remained on the holonet, able to detect the strong desire for a plan C and D in case plan B goes south. There's time before they land, any change of plan so much as breathed would be appreciated. Save for the small unit of troopers they took with them, Jar-Jar and Kharrus were going to a hostile planet defenseless. Windu, Plo, and Yoda, in deep meditation, scoured the force for some insight as to what they should come to expect from this point moving forward. Nothing came besides the possibility of a firefight. The best scenario is a fist fight. This is not a cut and dry situation. None of them ever are. But this was barren and shredded. The cards were far from being laid out on the table. Maybe one or two from the pirate's hand, three to four on their end. The one who shows all their cards first is the loser. And so far Hondo is playing his wisely. Perhaps he is as dangerous as Windu informed them. As someone who spent quality time with this pirate, and is in close relation to his niece, Palpatine cannot afford to dismiss his intel on the man.

"Master Windu, surely there is an Achilles Heel we might utilize to outmaneuver this deviant." Palpatine pressed. Kharrus wished to know that as well. He was trapped in a dungeon for three weeks last time he did a ransom swap. He doesn't want to be locked up again on a backwater planet like Florum.

"If there is, Tanya never told me one." Windu tossed his hands up, sitting back to escape the searing spotlight. He pressed fingertips to his skull, racking his brain on how this reunion can possibly get any worse. The meeting he had with Hondo a while back wasn't secret, but the confidence he swore to in their conversation was soiled for this situation. "All that I got from Hondo is that he'll do anything he has to in order to get what he wants, and to protect Tanya." He scoffed at the notion. "Not that she needs it."

"So his only weakness known is the girl with bloodlust, Hunter Skills, and Jedi training." Palpatine snarled. The knife wedged in the already wounded pride of the three masters. Windu felt the thin arteries in his neck slit. "These odds all but confirm an outright attack." Padme and Windu sank somberly.

" _No-no, Chancellor."_ Jar-Jar adamantly thrust himself into the 's spirits rose. _"No worrying about Tanny. She'sa good girl. She no hurt us._ " He pat Kharrus on the back in assurance. It brought a smile to everyone in the room save for Palpatine. More of adoring his fierce faith than actual belief.

"I admire your heart in the girl's loyalties, Representative Binks, but I am afraid I must insist that you be prepared for the worst." Palpatine voiced reason. As depressing as it is. "Tanya Fett has shown us in the past the lengths she'll go to. You and Senator Amidala from your excursion on Aetha said as much." The named pair rubbed an arm and shrunk their heads between their shoulders. Before that botched visit to Rodia, leading to their near death on Aetha, both witnessed Tanya use extreme methods in combat. Never in their wildest dreams did they think anyone could possess such a demonic resolve. Brutally killing her enemies with but a clutch of her hand, and quick cut of her sword. And the look in her eye...it's bone chilling to recall.

" _Egh..._ " Kharrus broke the silence. " _I never much cared for the Bounty Hunter. But I respected her code of honor._ " He nodded to the doubting group. He wishes for his comrades to hold faith that honor and integrity hold strong, even in times of war. " _We will still take necessary measures._ "

"Thank you. Contact us once you've arrived." Padme requested. Jar-Jar and Kharrus bowed and ended the call. "You don't really think she'd attack them, do you?" Padme inquired outraged to the four men.

"Tanya Fett is an angry and violent individual who happens to carry a moral compass." Palpatine doesn't want to be the one to voice what everyone very well knows, but he wants them to abandon the notion that she'll show them any sort of civility. "Forgive me, Master Windu, I do not say this out of malice. I say it because of what she's displayed past and present."

"Hmm…" Windu leaned elbows to his knees, hiding his curling lips behind interlaced fingers. He closed his eyes, sighing begrudged. "Unfortunately I can't argue your views. Nor can I accept them." Eyes widened surprised. Windu refused to accept that black and white view. "Tanya is angry...and an opportunist. But she isn't without a strict code that quite literally shackles her. She'd sooner hang herself before violating her principles." Padme and Yoda exchanged smiles unable to argue with that. Tanya's never been shy to call them danger prone, gremlin, or pure out jinxes. But for her own reasons she never raises a hand to them. Yoda lay her out flat in seconds, Padme...no one knows why she won't strike Padme. But for both it's out of respect. "She won't blindly lash out at Kenobi, Skywalker, or Representative Binks. But she won't stop others who wish to." He added ominously. What everyone seems to forget is Tanya is a firm believer in loopholes.

"Master Windu!" Padme cried.

"Do not misunderstand me!" He rose to his feet, approaching her with his hands folded behind his back. "Tanya won't kill them. She can't. No matter how angry she is. Least of all Representative Binks." He sucked on his lips irritably, bringing a disparaging glare to a certain Chancellor who suddenly lost nerve to meet gazes. Padme wasn't sure what the accusation was, then slowly started to piece it. "Dozens of representatives and senators capable of handling this missin. Kharrus alone was qualified. Yet you throw Representative Binks into the mix." Yoda and Plo released displeased breaths. Padme's expression was crossed between horrified and angry. He using Jar-Jar as a linchpin. "We all know she carries a tender spot for him. But he won't be enough to convince her to come back."

"I did not send Representative Binks to bring her back." Palpatine acquiesced to the accusations, motioning ah and for the Master to remain calm. "I sent him to confirm her true allegiances." In other words...if Tanya so much as throws a bottle at Jar-Jar, Palpatine will use that as cause to assert that she is no longer an ally. Let alone a friend.

 **xxx**

The two visiting Jedi cannot begin to describe how humiliating their situation is. First they get trapped in a cave with a rabid Gundark and some very toxic gas. Then they're lured - lured meaning they waltzed into a - trap set up by a drunk man and his cronies. And on top of that, they are somehow drugged at dinner and are now locked in the same cell and strapped to the hip with Count Dooku. Literally. Those shackles on their waists were linked by a ray cable. Unbreakable by hand and force. The cuffs weren't going anywhere either.

Before joining the Weequays for dinner, Obi-Wan and Anakin confirmed with Palpatine that Dooku was being held. Permission for the ransom to be delivered was authorized. Senator Kharrus accompanied by Representative Binks would be sent to deliver the ransom. Being saved by Jar-Jar was going to kill Anakin's rep. Then from nowhere, while enjoying their dinner, they narrowly escape being poisoned only to be hit with a strong drug and thrown in a cell with Dooku. Both swore they'd find a way out. And without his inane commentary. Amazingly, the one thing the trio can agree on is that being stuck together is worse than everything that's happened so far. And unfortunately together is the only way they'll make it out of there alive.

The first order of business was getting out of their cell and making it to the ship. Hopefully the pirates haven't taken it apart by now. The Count made quick work of the lock with a dinner knife one of the guards left behind. Gotta love the dexterity of keycard locks. Anakin and Obi-Wan weren't impressed. They can do that n half the time and blindfolded. But let the old man have his win. Once they reach the hangar they can put him in their rear views. An easier venture said than done.

Dooku lead the march for the hangar going purely off memory from his escort to his cell. He wordlessly admitted that these grim halls look annoyingly similar. The decor especially. Spills bottles and mugs, half eaten dishes gone to spoil, opened and closed crates of a variety of supplies, and the discernible smell of body odor. Dooku played it off nicely whenever he made a wrong turn or walked them into a dressing room. The dancers were sworn to silence for a dance with the little Jedi. Anakin had an even greater reason to get off the planet now.

By the umpteenth corridor, Anakin's youth showed in his rising impatience with The Count's directions. The longer this takes, the higher the chances they'll be spotted and dragged back to their cell. And honestly, all of this sneaking around was wreaking havoc on his back. "We do KNOW where we're going, don't we?" We as in The Count.

"HUSH, Anakin!" Obi-Wan shut him down. While refreshing at times, his impetuousness was likely to get them captured. All the same, "DO we know where we're going?" He asked Dooku sheepishly.

"Quiet!" Dooku ordered, taking a defensive stance. A door opened ahead. One of the pirates barely had a chance to exit. He was kicked in the stomach, then hammered on the back of the head, unconscious before he drew another breath. Dooku has surprising reflexes. "I was brought this way when I was captured. It was open then."

Anakin searched the body. "Hey. Found the door key."

"This is the way to the hangar." Dooku confidently lead them to the next door.

"Yes, but are you sure it's safe?" Obi-Wan pestered. A minor victory was theirs when Anakin's door key worked. "It is safe?!" Obi-Wan asked pleadingly.

"Of course it is." Dooku assured them. The proof was presented by the empty corridor opening to them. "Gentlemen, if you'd like to step inside." The Count was lavishing in their embarrassment.

"Well that's one for you." Anakin spat. The sooner they get this monkey off their hip the better. So far so good. The silence of the stronghold was crawling on their backs. For such rowdy pirates, who are currently partying somewhere, they are unnervingly good at remaining hidden. That is if anyone is actually on guard. That does The fact that around the corner one of the pirates could emerge got their hearts pumping. The end of the hall was coming up. Two adjacent paths were waiting. "Now where to from here?"

"Make a left here and keep going."

For once Anakin did as he was told. He and the others pressed their backs to the wall. Anakin peered round the corner, scanned for pirates. What he saw instead made his stomach sour in dread. "I don't think we need to be stealthy here." He rumbled. The others saw what troubled the Young Jedi and were gobsmacked.

Bodies. Lots of them. Each one a member of Captain Hondo's crew. A trail of them riddling the floor like stepping stones, soaked in pools of their own blood. Laser bolt burns scorched a handful of the dead pirates in the back, heads, and dead in their chest. Gashes gouging their necks savagely open, looks of pure terror forever frozen to their faces. Dooku was impassive to the carnage, stepping over the corpses, and maneuvering around them as if they weren't there. But Obi-Wan and Anakin were mournfully appalled. The savagery displayed her is nothing short of what an animal out of its cage is capable of. Further down there were pirates who lied flat on their stomachs, or crashed to their sides. Deep gashes and laser bolt burns were in their backs. These men didn't make it far before being hunted and killed. Anakin tripped on one pirate propped at the wall. The neck rolled with gutwrencher cracks, head left dangling and barely connected to the shoulders. Obi-Wan checked the pirate next to him. He touched the neck, shuddering at the shattered bones beneath the flesh. Dooku marveled at the one pirate staked through the stomach to the wall by a pipe. He was hardly alive, dry whispers of groans choked in his throat. The Count watched as his last bit of strength spilled down the wall, and he went limp.

"Must have been one heck of a fight." Anakin shuddered.

"This was no fight." Obi-Wan rumbled disgusted. "This was a massacre." These pirates are cut throat and as vicious as they come. Killing one another in cold blood. What the Hell have Obi-Wan and Anakin gotten themselves mixed into this time.

Dooku and Anakin sealed the door off, limiting chances of them being followed. The pirates should be too drunk to call it foul play. Not that they would know what that is. Dooku wasn't entirely sure which direction to head from there. The pirates made so many turns before this point. The trio's trek for the hangar wasn't able to put enough distance between them and that horror. If that is what these pirates do to their own, what will they do to The Jedi and Dooku? Hopefully they will have reached the hangar before that question is answered.

"These pirates don't fool around here, do they?" Anakin remarked what he was certain everyone was thinking.

"I do not believe the pirates are responsible for that." Dooku disagreed ominously.

"Then who-"

" _This is cliche even for you guys."_ A familiar voice guffawed from further down.

"Sshh…" Obi-Wan stopped the two. He knit his brow. He swore he heard talking. Snickering startled him. "Do you hear that?" Anakin and Dooku strained their ears. Voices were heard. They were close. Around that next corner. The trio sped on their tip toes, poking their heads out slightly. Three weequays stood facing in their general direction. Two had high powered rifles trained to an outstanding feline with her hands on her hips.

"It's Tanya." Anakin whispered.

"This is a tense atmosphere." Dooku joked.

Tanya scoffed at her oppressor, wiggling a finger in her ear. "You've gone beyond your bounds, Fett." The middle Weequay, Lars, warned her ominously. "Escorting those Jedi? One on one sessions with The Count? Some of us here don't like how chummy you are with your mind trick friends."

"Hardly friends. I despise The Count, and I didn't exactly have drinks with the other two." She scoffed, fanning their idiocy away from her. "They were a necessary obstacle. One I'm happy to crush if they get on my nerves." The rubber of her gloves ground as she balled a fist. To one of the riflemen it sounded like bones snapping.

"So you say." Lars dismissed with a smirk. He showed her a plump fruit, twirling a knife between his fingers. "But we think you have too soft a spot for them." A tiny poke and the juices were bleeding from that soft spot. Tanya's brow furrowed. Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin winced at his grievous mistake. This guy was in for a painful realization. "Come to think of it...Hondo has a spot for you in his black heart. Meaning he'll take your side if you do anything...unsuitable." Clicks came from the rifle hammers. High pitch whirring raised hairs on the hiding trio's necks.

"Me? Do something unsuitable? You guys are paranoid." She crooned, feigning innocence. Though they aren't too far off base.

"We saw the bodies! You're killing us one by one!" Lars roared. Her fangs in her sinister grin was her truest tell. The Jedi, and Dooku, were astonished. Lars scoffed disgusted, shoulders sinking. "You don't even have the decency to deny it!" He seethed disdainfully.

"Be reasonable, fellas. They brought this on themselves." Her darkest of grins sent fear crawling down the pirates' backs. "And now you three are next." She purred, licking her lips.

"Ha! Big talk coming from the girl at rifle point." The riflemen shook off their daze, straightening their scopes to her head and chest. Tanya smirked devilishly. As if rifles are enough. "This little partnership you have with Hondo won't save you! With you and him dead those slots of yours will finally be ours!"

"Slots?" Anakin arched a brow.

"Positions of power, maybe." Obi-Wan pondered.

"Lady Eight." Dooku muttered pensively.

"What's that?" Obi-Wan glanced back at him.

"Before, the pirates referred to Tanya as Lady Eight. Does that mean anything?"

Anakin's eyes widened at the familiar number. "Now that you mention it..." He's heard that somewhere before.

"Hey, Lars, I have a great idea!" One of his men cackled. The hidden trio stiffened. "Maybe we can throw their bodies with the wreckage in Doshar Fields." Tanya's brow knit, the grey flickering briefly. _Doshar fields?_

Lars batted the back of his fist upside his head. "Shut up, you fool!"

Tanya threw her head back laughing. "You morons really think you're worthy of our numbers?" The very idea was enough to make her puke. "You weren't even qualified to set foot in the arena's lobby for sign ups! What makes you think you're worthy of being my number, let alone Hondo's?" She folded her hands behind her back. The hidden trio furrowed their brows. Tanya's fingers were rolling in a fluid motion. She was up to something.

These numbers being tossed around baffled and intrigue The Jedi and Count. They don't appear to be ages. Weequay age at a pretty normal rate, and Aquatisans age progression varies at a certain age. They can't be days of the months. No one fusses over those like this. The trio came to the only logical conclusion. These numbers are ranks. That must be it. Obi-Wan and Anakin were struck by a hammering epiphany. Something they'd forgotten all about. The Lady Eight reference...Tanya's coiling hand...that's her title...Berserk assassin, Padawan Hunter...the eighth deadliest Bounty Hunter named! "The creed…" The pair inadvertently whispered. Dooku's knit his brow intrigued, remaining silent at their unintentional slip. _Creed?_

"Lars, you're barely worthy of being the new 20. You can never be eight. Let alone seven." Tanya declared. Lars growled murderously.

"We'll see about that, worthless stray!" Their fingers barely tensed to the triggers. In one smooth motion Tanya whipped her left hand to the to the side. Slits opened in the two riflemen's necks, blood gushing like a waterfall. Lars and the hiding trio gasped, flinching as the two men died right then and there in a pool of their blood. Neither knew left from right what was going on. One second their about to open fire, the next they're dead and gone.

Tanya's crazed titter cast an icy front down everyone's spines. She filled in the blanks by glancing to a disk embedded in the wall. She flourished her wrist. The disk whisked back to her palm, dripping in the two dead weequays' blood. "The Jedi did me a bigger favor than you realize, Lars. I didn't hold much stock in these powers of mine, save for breaking necks." As to prove a point, and give her insurance, she flourished her hand and crushed her fingers closed. The bones in the dead men's neck shattered, leaving Lars close to vomiting. "Never did I imagine I could bend spaces to my will, and utilize the most innocuous items in such lethal ways." She licked the blood off the disk, cackling darkly. "Hondo hides these little key cards and disks for his own reasons. Uses the vents you're standing right next to." Lars ogled the vents about. He wondered why Hondo alway hung near those. "Neat little blades, aren't they?"

"Monster! YOU MONSTER!" Lars dove for the rifle. His fingers brushed the barrel. Tanya's boot connected to his chin, throwing him back. He stumbled to stay standing, muffled cries coming from his broken jaw. Tanya reappeared behind him. Knife from her boot in hand she cut the backs of his knees clean open. As he dropped she climbed up and wrapped her legs at his waist, driving him to the ground. She tangled her left arm with his, an iron grip at his wrist. She snaked her right under his and wrapped it around the neck to his chin. He wrestled to be free. The draining blood left him dizzy and weak. "Do you understand now, Lars?" He was driven to his knees. The hidden trio looked into Tanya's eyes. The grey was back. With her madness. She brought her lips to his ear, "The numbers have never MATTERED!" _SNAP!_ Jolts shot down Dooku, Anakin, and Obi-Wan's backs. Lars collapsed with his head turn nearly 180 degrees back. Tanya licked blood and his death from her fingers, chuckling darkly. "That's one. The look on Hondo's face." She can't wait to see it.

"I think it's time we left." Dooku stated.

"For once I agree with you." Anakin scampered in the other direction. A barrel was in his face. "Umm...oops…" He raised his hands. Dooku and Obi-Wan saw the _oops_. In the midst of their gawking they had become surrounded. A dozen blasters and rifles were trained right on them.

"Hold it right there, Jedi!" The leader warned. The trio felt their pride just come out their rears. This is what their curiosity has cost them. Now these pirates will be up in greater arms.

Tanya came around the corner, placing her hands on her hips. "Geez, I must be losing my touch." She didn't sense them at all. Her purple orbs begged to know when they got there. And how much they saw.

 **xxx**

Senator Kharrus, Jar-Jar, the team of clones - the hostile planet of Florum greeted its off world visitors in its customary manner. They barely breached the stratosphere, breaching the thicket of clouds. Ground to air strikes came at them from the cover of the dank clouds, bringing their convoy crashing in the middle of the wasteland. They never saw it coming. The pilots outflanked the strikes beyond their greatest ability. The clouds reacted to the heavy fire by dispersing. The pilots were rolling and diving with the spread of the clouds, taking on minor grazes here and there. They returned fire in the general direction of the blaster fire, feeling they weren't making a dent in the planet's ambush. By the time they exited the clouds...it was too late. A ship came from behind and took them out. First their engines were destroyed, then the wings. The pilots braced the ship for a rough landing. Senator Kharrus and Jar-Jar were strapped in.

The jagged terrain graded the ship's underbelly virulently. The ship was wrenched sideways, tripped by rocks and sent on vicious skipping tumbles. It landed back on its stomach again, tearing a large trench in the land. As the rough landing came to a stall, the ship was pried in half, and would forever remain on Florum to rot. The pilots were dead. Senator Kharrus was dead. And with no way to deliver the ransom...Count Dooku and The Jedi are out of their reach. On the one bright side, they didn't land in or near one of these geysers the Skalders kept running away from.

In the wake of this devastation, Jar-Jar and a couple of the commandos buried their dead, sending them off with promises of finding peace. Those with good in their heart will always find peace after their lives have gone. Of this Jar-Jar was certain. A question of chain of command was called by an underling clones. It was believed Commander Ryker would be in charge. Imagine everyone disappointment when he reminded them that Jar-Jar, as Representative, was the next highest ranking person. Yes, the clumsy, laughable, danger prone, and sometimes loveable Gungan was in charge. This wasn't going to be difficult at all.

In spite of the less than favorable circumstances, Ryker called a regrouping so they may collect themselves. "Those had to have been the pirates we were supposed to meet." Ryker asserted. "Guess they aren't ones for holding up their end of the bargain."

"They are lead by a man named Captain Hondo Ohnaka." Sergeant Lynx recollected. "He must have sent them out here to collect the spice and re-ransom The Count." Jar-Jar huffed angrily. He knew he didn't like these pirates. Now he knows why. What he doesn't know is why anyone would actually want to extend their stay with Dooku. Ransom or not, the man is intolerable.

"Tanya Fett is here as well." Demorte remarked. Jar-Jar's stomach twisted into knots. He turned thinking Demorte meant she was there in the desert. He felt a weight bury in his chest that he meant on planet in general. He was hoping she'd appear for one of her well times rescues. He misses those. "Think she's in on this? I heard this Hondo Character is her godfather." Ryker and Lynx lowered their head with saddened breaths.

"No-no! Tanny no hurt us!" Jar-Jar passionately disagreed. She'd never do this to them.

"Representative Binks, with all due respect, we're on enemy grounds now." Ryker gestured to the unforgiving terrain around them. "Faith in others is going to get you killed."

"Due respect to you'sa, you'sa no right about Tanny!" He stamped his foot like a child. The clones exchanged dubious stares, fearing Jar-Jar was losing sight of reality. The Gungan stood firm. This isn't Tanya's work. She'd never hurt him. "Me'sa knowen she'sa not doing this to us. Me'sa know in here." He placed a hand over his heart, then left to go say another farewell to Kharrus.

"For your sake, I hope you're right." Ryker muttered.

"Sir, we have a problem!" Skype ran up to him, showing him burns that were eating at his armor. "Those geysers over there are spitting out acid!" Explains why the Skalders kept running. Why they go back is another matter not relevant.

"There's one more problem." Lynx added. "How are we going to deliver the ransom AND get Count Dooku back?" Their ship is destroyed, the homing beacon was in pieces, and they are smack dab in the middle of nowhere on a planet of murdering pirates. They'll have to figure something out soon. Or the worst case scenario is they'll be tossed into those geysers by whoever shot them down.

 **xxx**

The Jedi and Count were immediately returned to their cells while Tanya volunteered to fetch Hondo. A ploy to mostly clean up the trash she left in one of the halls. And if anyone asks about the other bodies, she'll put the blame on Lars. No one will question it. Lars always was the shadiest of the pirates. And his body count is questionable. However, those that do seem to keep asking, Tanya will just have to remove them as well. Hondo won't mind. The place is getting crowded anyway.

Hondo arrived to the cell holding his payday just as they were finished with being searched. The door key was retrieved, and they didn't have any weapons on them. The most impressive feat is how far they made it. Anakin naturally blamed Dooku for their capture. Not that he had any better ideas.

"You guys made it pretty far." Tanya snickered, but was impressed. "You should have kept going."

"We were too engrossed by the show." Dooku slyly remarked. Tanya hid her swelling anxiety well. The Count's widening smirk confirmed her fear. They saw the whole thing.

Hondo's disappointed sigh interrupted their moment. He meandered in circles around his captives, saddened that they brought him to this point. "What to do, what to do…" He mumbled. He truly didn't know what to do. Tanya resisted telling him _told you so_. The Jedi and Count are more trouble than they are worth. "I don't WANT to kill you...per se." Out of respect for their persons. "In fact you seem like decent fellows. Even you, Count." He was sincere. He took a glimpse of Tanya. She bobbed her head agreeably. "Be assured none of this is personal. This is just business." Per se… "Once I get my money we can go back to being friends. It's very simple." _Your taste in friends is as lopsided as ever._ Tanya grumbled mentally. "Now try not to complicate things by breaking out again!" He and his men took their leave. Tanya lingered at the wall. "You coming?"

"In a sec." Hondo nodded and left her the cell key. She waited for them all to be out of earshot. Once the last door closed, her austere demeanor shredded into abject disbelief. "Oh...my...gods! Seriously, guys, can you two NOT get captured for once?" She yanked at her ears, snapping them in place. Anakin and Obi-Wan chuckled bashfully. "You just had to stay out of trouble for 24 HOURS! Is that too much to ask?!"

"Clearly you don't know these two." Dooku snorted.

"They're worse than Padme and Jar-Jar! They can't walk two feet without landing in trouble either!" Is it a wonder she nearly contracted worrywarts back on Coruscant. "Geez. As if things aren't complicated enough!"

"Well, good thing you're here." Anakin hummed. Tanya tilted her head confusedly. "Come on! We know why you stayed! It's all been an act for the pirates." He sauntered in close, leaning an elbow to her shoulder. "You're here to let us out, take us to our ship, and then watch us sail away."

Tanya's eyes partially lidded. By that smile and bouncing brow, he was confident in his statement. Dooku and Obi-Wan released breaths from their noses, shaking their heads. "How is it you have such an idiotic apprentice, Obi-Wan?" Tanya shrugged him off.

"I honestly don't know." Obi-Wan droned. Anakin was baffled.

"I'm not here to spring you, Skyflunker." She moved away from him. "I'm here to confirm for myself that you guys are capable of being drugged." She slapped a hand to her forehead, falling into a fit of laughter. The irony kills her. After years of being shot at, blown up, captured, beaten, and thrown out of ships THIS is what does them in. "I mean COME ON! You guys were slipped a Mickey?! That's a new one for me!"

"Wait! You came to gloat?!" Anakin roared.

"Mostly." She strutted out mockingly, closing the cell behind her. She planted a palm to the side of the cell. "And to tell you that Hondo plans to cash in on all three of you." She smirked. Obi-Wan surmised as much.

Veins exploded in Anakin's head, his rage swelling. "Have you told him yet that he can get even more if he offers you on a platter?!" He frothed at the mouth. "Two traitors for the price of one!" He glared between her and Dooku, lumping them together.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan barked.

"Hmph." Tanya slid her hand down, slapping her thigh. Her malicious smirk boiled his blood. "You can call me whatever you like, Skywalker. The fact remains." She licked her lips, hungering for blood. "You three are on my turf now. I get to yank the leash for a while!"

"Easily rectified!" Anakin twisted his body, throwing his palms forward. Tanya smirked. Dropping a glance to his cuffs. Anakin paused at a tingling in his wrists. Ultraviolet coils snaked his cuffs. Electrified darts shot into his wrists. Above the flesh and in his veins the streams fired up his arms, splintering bones and marrow. "AAAHHH!" Dooku and Obi-Wan backed away, trapped in shock. Anakin sucked his arms to his stomach. The muscles throbbed and vessels burst. He dropped to his knees, wailing in agony. After what felt like minutes the pain ends. He was on his hands and knees, hyperventilating dryly as his body fought to shirk off the shock. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"One of the perks to having a force sensitive child as a Goddaughter is that you have room to experiment with ways to keep them in line." She hummed. She tapped her wrist. "Those cuffs you're wearing are designed to ensure you can't break them. And they deliver a painful reminder to behave yourself."

"Sounds like...he made them for you." Anakin's pride coughed out.

"Because he did. You know how out of hand I can be." She admitted impassively. Obi-Wan and Dooku knit their brows at the self jab. "And by the way, Anakin," She crouched low, wanting him to look her in the eye, "Can't betray something you were never loyal to." She winked. The one thing she learned as a hunter, never be loyal to those whose first loyalties are to themselves. And The Republic are as about themselves as they come. Feeling her time with them has come to an end, Tanya took her leave.

Anakin snarled animally, clawing for the bars. "Anakin! Stop!" Obi-Wan's plight went on deaf ears. He and the Count were dragged with him.

Anakin pressed his face to the bars, able to barely see Tanya sauntering along. "THEY'RE SENDING JAR-JAR, YOU KNOW!" Tanya stopped. She didn't turn, didn't move an inch. She just stood there. Motionless. "Jar-Jar is coming here, TO FLORUM, to deliver the ransom! Think he'll get the same warm welcome as us?!" Tanya didn't turn or comment. She just stood there. "They drugged us! Locked us in a cell! What do you think they'll do to someone like Jar-Jar?!" Her right ear flicked. Rilgar, Geonosis, Aetha...everywhere he goes. Then she meandered on her way again, putting them behind her. Anakin sank to the wall, ignoring Obi-Wan's scowl. He doesn't regret what he's said, just as she doesn't regret what she's done.

 **xxx**

Tanya hid herself in a storage room, locking the door and sitting to the farthest wall. "That crash in Doshar Fields…" She mumbled. What are the odds...that crash is a Republic ship? Her eyes glossed as she imagined the bodies part of that crash. She clawed at her wrenching heart, bowing her head in a prayer. "Jar-Jar…" _Don't be...don't be...don't be..._

 **To be continued.**


	16. And The Day Keeps Getting Better

**And The Day Keeps Getting Better**

 **Okay. Time to mention something. Tanya is getting a lot of air time. This fic is about her. BUT Boba will be getting his solo chapter as well. A few just to equal it out. He's vital to this story, an his growth is renowned in Star Wars. I can't leave the kid out too long.**

 **And sorry for being gone so long. I'm back.**

 **xxx**

To anticipate any mission being cut and dry - be it a rescue op, or a ransom exchange - is a mistake that can cost a soldier, and a Representative, their lives. Going in without weapons - blasters, ships with combat capabilities, or even a grenade for when things get hairy - practically lands you on the suicide list. Jar-Jar, The Clones are a suicidal offering. The Republic adhering to the demands of a pirate they next to nothing about signed their names to that list. Their only source of faith in this business, and belief that this mission would be accomplished without complications...was Tanya's presence. A good Padme, Jar-Jar...even Mace trusted without question. A foolish endeavor. One that she will take a silent pleasure rubbing their face in.

Coming to a foreign, hostile planet is already a terrible idea in itself. But coming to a foreign, hostile planet in the hopes of negotiating a ransom was begging for disaster. And did disaster strike with its full fury. Shot down in the middle of Florum's hazardous Doshar Fields, Jar-Jar and the team of clones were at a loss of how to proceed. They've been standing in an ocean of sand, cliffs, and acid spitting geysers with not a single lifeline to cling to. Save for their own breath, and what little rations survived the crash. Very limited, and very fleeting. Their deadline to reach the compound and exchange the has long ended. By now, Hondo Ohnaka, the pirate they are to meet with, has more than likely began planning his dissertation to the Republic for another shipment of spice for the ransom, and is doubling the rewards he wishes to reap. A very clever priate this one. Luring prominent members of the senate under the guise of peace, then shooting them and his ransom down in order to increase their payday. Ruthless, shrewd business tactics. Just what anyone should come to expect from a pirate.

Even if they were granted more time, they had no means of transporting the demanded spice to the rendezvous. The homing beacon was beyond repair, like their ship, and they know next to nothing on which way they should go to find this Hondo Ohnaka. The diplomatic ship they used didn't come with spare means of transport. And the only weapons on board are what they brought with them. A few blasters, a couple side arms, five grenades, and...an rpg. That may buy them some leniency in this harsh terrain. But if they should come across enemies, it'd be a testament to their skill and their luck.

While sifting through the wreckage, regrouping and recovering from their buzzing nerves, a constant thought rang throughout the clones heads. With courtesy to Jar-Jar's feelings, the clones cautiously surmised that Ohnaka and Tanya may likely be the reason their ship was shot down in the first place. Ohnaka may have testified to being neutral, but when it boils down to it he's a notorious pirate. Tanya's lost love for the Republic isn't unknown. Neither is her depravity when it comes to fighting those she labels as an enemy. From what they've heard from his meeting with the Chancellor, Hondo is surreptitiously a terrifying man. Able to capture Count Dooku, willing to cross borders in order to gain what he craves. Not only that, he is a good friend of Bounty Hunter Jango Fett, and the guardian of Tanya Fett. And from what they've witnessed from Tanya, and what they've heard of Jango, Hondo Ohnaka is not one to underestimate. He and Tanya together are going to make for a terrifying pair. They can't expect an sort of clemency or honor while here. As much as it might pain Jar-Jar, the clones need him to realize that they are in the grasp of the enemies. No friends exist here.

Amid the roaring of the geysers, Jar-Jar uncanny sense of Gungan hearing detected a strange sputtering. "Huh?! What's that?!" He gasped. By the ridge near the Skalders. Ryker and Lynx put on binoculars, zooming in as close as they could. Trouble was in hot pursuit of their location. Six or more Weequays on speeders, and they didn't look friendly. Not that Weequays ever do.

"Think this could be trouble, sir." One of the other clones pondered aloud. In truth, he's really hoping they're a random band just passing through.

"THEY could be the ones we're supposed to deliver the ransom to." Ryker proposed, wanting to be optimistic.

"Or," Jar- Jar threw in, "They'sa be the ones that be shootin' us down!" So much for being positive. The timing fits. The clones threw on their helmets and primed their blasters. They were in for a Welcoming Party from Hell.

The six man launched off the ridge, the clones and Jar-Jar dead in their sights. Blasters drawn they opened fire, proving Jar-Jar right about them being the guys that took them down. There's no doubt about it now. Hondo Ohnaka...and likely Tanya...are behind their assault. The troopers returned fire, forming into a tight circle formation to cover each other's backs. No cover, save for Senator Kharrus's grave, means they stand their ground and land some well timed shots. Jar-Jar scampered like a lost deer in a panic, jumping between laser bolts with some very unnatural skill. He steered clear of the troopers while simultaneously evading enemy fire. Not even a knick in the arm. Seriously, the luck that clings to this guy should be on par with the Jedi's Force tricks. It's beyond words amazing.

The clones were being vastly overrun. The Weequays trapped them in their circle formation, riding their speeders in a disorienting rotation. Their shots were sloppy at best. Shooting above their heads, at their feet, and way out to the far sides. A purposeful slip that was preventing the clones from properly countering. A clone or two managed to hit the speeder of one Weequay, sending him spiraling out of control into a fiery demise. The rest widened their rotation and quickened their speed, decreasing the troopers' accuracy, and depleting their ammunition all the faster. If that weren't bad enough. Stray bolts tore gashes in the troopers armor. They've been unintentionally forcing themselves back, already yards away from the Senator's gravesite.

"There's not enough cover out here!" Ryker snarled.

"They're cutting us off from the shuttle!" A trooper cried. Three of the Weequay parked their speeders. One provided cover fire while the other two searched the wreckage. No doubt for the spice shipment.

Jar-Jar tripped in the midst of his run, a slide giving him a mouthful of dirt. He spat it up, groaning sickly. The dirt on Naboo tastes so much better. He saw the Weequay forming a line at the shuttle. He glared hard at the leader, watching him direct his men while he and a couple others fired at the troopers. "We've got to regroup!" He heard Ryker. He agreed, but there's something he needed to confirm first. "Wait! Representative Binks, what are you doing?!" He was entering to fray of flying bolts. "Hold your fire! Hold your fire!" Ryker commanded. The clones stopped, but were left defenseless. "REPRESENTATIVE BINKS! COME BACK!" Jar-Jar did not acknowledge him. He was shaking something fierce in his march, but he wore such determination on his face that the enemy Weequay found themselves at a loss. They eventually stopped firing as well. "What the Hell is he doing?!"

"Getting himself killed! That's what!"

Jar-Jar stopped a good ways from the Weequays and their leader, locking glare with glare as they ruminated in silence. The leader pondered what sort of death wish this Gungan had. Jar-Jar kept screaming in his mind that he wouldn't be scared. Not when he has a friend's innocence on the line. "You got somethin' you wanna say, Gungan? Spit it out!" The leader demanded impatiently.

"Is'a you'sa with Tanny?!" He actually spat.

"Tanny?!" The name was odd to them. They don't know anyone with a dumb name like that.

"Fett-Fett! Kitty Cat ears, muy anger issues!" He shaped the ears, and acted like a fanged beast for the anger.

This sparked an epiphany. "You mean Tanya?! HA!" The leader and his crew were in stitches laughing so hard. Jar-Jar and The Clones were baffled. "Are you kiddin' me with that?! Like we'd ever listen to that bitch!" Jar-Jar felt a direct stab to his core. An anger that he can't describe, and was too terrified to exact, boiled within him. _What did he...just call her?_ "We take orders form Turk and no one else!" The leader threw two grenades. Jar-Jar was blown out of his stupor by a suffocating cloud of dust and smoke. The clones were blind as the enemy began their assault again.

"Representative Binks! Get out of there!" Ryker screamed.

Jar-Jar shook off whatever stupid plan he had and ran for the troopers. "Follow me! Let'sa hide!" The troopers followed him in a blind run. Jar-Jar jumped inside of one of the geysers, the clones following suit without hesitation, and disappeared inside.

The Weequays pressed on with their attack, chipping away at the edge of the crater. As the smoke cleared, their blaster fire came to halt. "Where'd they go?" One of the pirates placed a hand to his forehead like a visor. They vanished without a trace.

"Who cares! They probably fell in the geyser!" The leader scoffed, marching to the wreckage. "Find the spice." That's all that matters here.

"Should we look for the clones in the crater?" The previous pirate suggested.

"Get back here!" The leader scoffed. "Once that geyser goes off, they're broiled." And by the steam wafting from it, that won't be long now. The Weequay dug the spice crates from the wreckage. Tractor links fastened the crates to their speeders, and off they went for the compound. Already can they hear Turk's drool dripping as he sees all the spice that's going to land in his lap. Unawares to the foolish Weequay, Jar-Jar and the clones would not be done in so easily by boiling acid. The fool's luck of Jar-Jar Binks is not something to be trifled with.

 **xxx**

Tanya was still lounging in the storage room, picking at wax that was lodged deep in her ear. She must really have poor hygiene if that much was on her finger. It smelt funny too. Like sea salt, sweat...and booze. She's been spending too much time in Hondo's company.

" _You're disgusting, you know that!_ " Boba cringed on the holo-com. " _You're a girl! Can't you be girly?_ "

"That's what I have you for." She dismissively sighed, flicking the wax off. "You're plenty girly enough. With how you fuss over your hair…" She teased with an impish grin. Boba turned seething red. Tanya had to mute him when he flew into a tirade of profanities. He's so adorable when he's angry. "Anyway…" She spoke through his fuming, ignoring when the sound came on he use of the profane word for cat, "I'm not getting away anytime soon. "

Boba's fuming came to a steady halt. He slumped a cheek to his knuckles, groaning disappointed. " _Kinda figured._ " She never goes anywhere without extending the trip. Jango was the same way.

"Where are you right now?" She heard engines in the background. She guessed he was on a ship, but bound for where.

" _What Izumi said about needing other leads got me thinking."_ Other leads into where the Knights have held up. In place of Tanya being dragged back to Coruscant, Boba has been devising a way that would both reveal the Knight's whereabouts, and keep his sister by his side. _"The Knights aren't stupid. Incarses, Alexei, Lightraide, Thrax - the full story is archived for them and they've got the plot down to the conclusion. They know we're looking for them."_ Tanya scoffed under her breath, grimacing ominously. Of course they know what the Creed is planning. When haven't the Knights been ten steps ahead. That gap will be closed soon. _"So Scroop, Carver, and I are going to make it known that we're looking for them. The obvious always catches those disgraced soldiers off guard._ "

"What do you three trouble makers have planned this time?" She grinned. She's almost sorry she's about to miss it. "Whenever you three get together there's usually a natural disaster that follows." And she wants to be there to see it.

" _Annalise Vanderpool._ " Tanya's eyes flared, the name taking her back. The Knight's own Number 8. The Clean Assassin. Properly named for someone who was able to kill a target without spilling a drop of blood. _She's still on Incarses?_ _"Her body hasn't been claimed from Incarses yet. Turns out that brother she mentioned was her only family. She had no one."_ Tanya glanced woefully to the side, almost able to relate to that. She started to feel sorry for Annalise. _"Her body has been volunteered as a cadaver for study for some students at a local university. Medical students get to poke and prod at her, learn what makes a girl like her tick._ "

They aren't the only ones. Tanya smirked, pensively touching her chin. What many don't realize is that the corpse of any species tells a greater story than a live body. Their ailments, their stresses, and where they've been. "Carver thinks he can trace where she's been based off her body's elements."

" _That's the plan. And he happens to be good friends with the Dean of the university."_ Tanya rolled her eyes. Of course Carver is friends with an academic. Why wouldn't he be? _"He's going to be introduced as a guest speaker, while Scroop and I poke around."_

"Make sure you're careful. We can't assume all bases haven't been covered by The Knights." Inspecting the body of one of their own is a very macabre move, but one that can't be ruled out for the paranoid faction as the Crimson Knights.

" _You be careful too."_ Boba's tone was very unnerving. _"I don't like you being there with Jedi on the grounds."_ Tanya sank somberly. She had to tell him. He'd never forgive her if he found out from someone else.

"Don't worry. I'll be back on Kerwan before you know it." She promised. "Right now I have my own mess to clean up here. Be careful."

" _Same to you."_

Tanya blew him a kiss, then ended the call. "Doshar Fields." Her brow knit harshly, pupils narrowing to slits. "What are you up to, Turk?" Whatever it is, she has orders to ensure it doesn't happen. And who is she to defy orders?

 **xxx**

The ransom was drawing closer with every second they dawdled. As such, Hondo's reason for keeping them alive will be gone. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Dooku refused to sit like caged slaves waiting to be auctioned off. With the one pirate guard sent off on the mind trick suggestion that he wanted to go out drinking, they are free to escape and make for freedom. Obi-Wan was able to force the door open with a simple flick of the wrist. The trio was already making their way for the shipyard. Hopefully they would be on their way before being spotted, and long before Jar-Jar arrived with the ransom. But they must exercise the utmost caution from their previous escape attempt. Hondo and Tanya are more than likely anticipating they'll escape again. If they're caught a second time they can't expect another amicable outcome. Those two have a dangerously low tolerance for such things. Hondo may show a greater restraint in withholding his fury, but Tanya has completely abandoned all rhyme and reason due to their presence. She'll kill them like livestock, like she did those pirate before, if they push their luck with her too hard. Obi-Wan is hoping that's not the case. That the Tanya he fought side by side with, and the Hondo clearly treasures, resides within the broken shards of her heart.

"She lied."

"About what?" Obi-Wan arched a brow at Anakin mumbling.

"About Hondo making these." He raised the shackles. Before, when Anakin attempted to attack her, the shackles emitted a strange pulse that crippled him. Tanya boasted with a bloodlust that those shackles were made for her by Hondo to keep her in line. "He's not that smart. Someone else made these." Of that he's convinced. A drunkard like Hondo doesn't look qualified to drive let alone build items so complex. That being said, Anakin felt disheartened that something so crude would be put on someone so young. In spite of how Tanya is, what possessed Hondo to get shackles like these for her? Surely Jango Fett didn't allow this? Did he? Would a father willingly shackle his own daughter like an animal?

"That bit of trivia aside for the moment," Dooku inserted himself, earning a predictable scowl from Anakin, "Why inform our favorite kitten that Representative Binks is delivering the ransom?"

"For someone who stalks her you're really slow on the pick up." Anakin scoffed. Dooku wasn't slow at all. He merely wanted to hear the duplicitous tactic come from the lips of the Jedi's most impulsive Knight. Anakin diverted his attention to Obi-Wan. "Master, I can sense you're holding out faith in Tanya. I'm giving it a shot too." Obi-Wan awaited to true point in his pretty words. "You and I both know Tanya has a soft spot for Jar-Jar." Dooku grinned inwardly. He knew it.

"You're thinking if she realizes he's coming here of all places she'll do what she can to help us." Obi-Wan worded his plan to the letter. Tanya, disregarded her brazen and rather boorish behavior, has a strong sense of honor and loyalty. "It's not a bad plan. Luminara and I saw on Rodia and Aetha what she'll do to anyone who touches him." Tanya may treat him like a nuisance from time to time. A charade to hide how much she cares for him. She nearly killed Senator Farr. She slaughtered Count Raum's forces, his captain, and his wife.

Dooku's deep chuckle sent chills snaking their spines, bringing bumps to their skin. He had to control himself so it wouldn't be so loud. It's infuriating to see him so cheerful at a time like this. But also...scary. "Now I see. NOW-I-SEE!" He composed himself, breathing through his nostrils. "Relying and playing on Tanya's empathetic weakness for a favorable. How manipulative of you. I that not why she cast the Jedi aside?" He taunted. Obi-Wan and Anakin rooted in place. A gavel of guilt rapped on their skulls. It wasn't manipulation. It was strategy. Right? "Do you really think you can pull at strings she's likely severed?" Dooku pressed on with his taunts."And here I thought you two wanted to win her back to Master Windu."

"As if you're doing any better!" Anakin barked back.

"As a matter of fact I am." Dooku reassured him. Obi-Wan furrowed his brow. The confidence in that statement rankled him. "Believe me when I say this, my Young Jedi, Tanya and I have a long standing history that will inevitably bring her into the fold of the Sith. I will have her." He decreed. And nothing will stop him.

"You already have an apprentice. You can't have Mace's!" Obi-Wan warned him.

"She doesn't belong to him anymore. Not that she ever did." The two drastically lost ground there. There is by no means for them to counter. How can they when she left without hesitation?

 **xxx**

Hondo was taking a jaunt around his compound to clear his head. Much weighed on his mind in these troubling times. It was too much for him to bear. The ale he ordered was running late! The shipment was waylaid by a fissure tearing in the Outlands, forcing the delivery to take an alternate route. What will he do now?! That shipment was made of his favorite ale brewed from herbs from Fellucia. Nothing is more tart to the throat, or pleasant on the tongue. He's writhing in agony just thinking about it.

"Please tell me that look on your face isn't because you lost a bet." Tanya groaned, meandering to him with her arms folded.

"No! My ale won't be here until tomorrow afternoon!" He sobbed into his forearm. Tanya sighed derisively. And here she thought it was something stupid. Hondo quit his blubbering and managed to pick up what decorum he had. The snot dripping from his nose kind of defeated that purpose ."How was your time with your friends?"

"They aren't my friends!" She snapped. He snickered under his breath. Just the reaction he wanted. _Sneaky bastard._ Tanya moved on to the topic, "You heard about a crash in Dosher Fields?"

"Only that crashes happen out there all the time. Why?"

"One of Turk's boys mentioned a crash." A slip of the tongue in their haste to claim a victory that ended in a blood bath. "And considering we're waiting for Republican negotiators, I don't find at all out of line to assume who was in that crash." Hondo hummed under his breath, putting fingers to his chin. His brow furrowed as he mulled over her words. He doesn't find it at all coincidental either. Florum isn't a place people come to for the scenery, or ever if they can avoid it. And he has no reason to believe Tanya would lie to him. A crash in Doshar Fields learned of from one of Turk's men. Disturbing. "Sounds like they didn't plan on telling you." Tanya voiced his troubles.

"It would appear not." He rumbled ominously. "Where is Turk now?"

"Haven't seen him since you spoke with him." Not that she bothers to keep tabs on him. She's hated Turk, and Turk's hated her. That will go on for thousands of years. Speaking of his boys, Tanya had a bit of tickle that ushered a cackle. "One of his boys assured me he'd make a better seven."

"Ha-ha...no one makes a better seven than me." Treasonous words that all but confirm Turk's betrayal. Now to merely catch the king of rats in a trap and eliminate him. "Should our six learn what he said…" He purred, licking his lips.

"I kinda beat Scroop to the punch." Tanya crooned. Her conversation with Boba carried a message for Scroop as well. No one can easily take the place of the top ten numbers. Least of all rabble like this. "Hm!" Her eyes sharpened. Her ears standing tall, and her tail frozen. The hairs from her ears to her tail stood on end. A cold breeze shifted the air. "There's a disturbance." She said scathingly. Three very distinct presences roaming the halls. She hissed through gritted teeth. "Our little bargaining chips are running again."

"Then shall we give chase?" Hondo tempted her, walking close to her. "I do so love chasing rats."

"Don't you already have me chasing rats?"

"Yes, but none of them are as entertaining as these three." Hondo absorbed her figure in his gaze, holding her still. "They bring out a side of you I rarely see."

"And what side is that?" She spat.

Hondo chuckled impishly, patting her on the head as he continued on his way. "Come on. Let's go."

"Hondo! What side?!" She snarled, jogging after him. She hates it when he does this.

 **xxx**

Jar-Jar and his frazzled team of clones escaped the geyser with nothing more than a few bruises. Their plummet came with Jar-Jar's handy luck and provided them a ledge that saved them from the geysers brew at the bottom. They were safe from enemy fire as long they stayed inside. Though they wouldn't be safe for long. Once that geyser blew it would be all over. Jar-Jar assured the troopers that as long as the Skalders lingered they would be safe. They waited out the pirates just long enough. With the retreat of the skalders did Jar-Jar and the troopers escape the geyser before its acid rained upon them. They regrouped inside the wreckage of their shuttle, finding to no surprise that the spice shipment was gone.

"Guess those pirates got what they came for." Lynx remarked, cracking his balling knuckles. "That captain of theirs lacks honor as well as sense!" Once the Republic learns of this treachery, Florum will be brought into the crosshairs and reduced to dust. At least that's what he wants. The Chancellor doesn't reduce planets to dust. Or approve of those who do. "Tanya Fett...she betrayed us!"

"Not captain or Tanny." Jar-Jar commented, earning baffled stares. "Tanny not send them. Meaning Captain probably no send them either." He elucidated rather vaguely.

"What makes you think that?" Lynx snapped.

He tapped the side of his head, wanting the troopers to recall, "Leader say he'sa take orders only from man named Turk and no one else!" They did hear that. And the way the leader spoke, Tanya isn't very popular. No man named Turk was reported though. Then again, none of them knew how many were in Hondo's employ. This man Turk may very well be an underling. An ambitious underling. "Captain's name is Hondo Ohnaka. He and Tanny give word that we'sa be safe. Tanny never breaks word. These men did not promise and do not like Tanny. Is baddens with baddens!"

The troopers gasped, exchanging stares of a startling realization. "Traitors in their midst…" Ryker murmured. Basing this hypothesis on the fact that Tanya keeps her word is pure folly. There is no evidence to support that Hondo is a man of such virtue. This Turk could be a pseudonym for Hondo. Or he could be acting behind Tanya's back. "Nevertheless, we have to wait here for the Republic to send a rescue party."

"We'sa cannot wait! Ani and Obi is'a watin' for us!" Jar-Jar fervently protested. "We'sa has to deliver the spice'n!"

"We don't have much choice, Representative Binks!" Ryker emphasised with a biting edge. "Those pirates were on speeders. We have barely any weapons, and no transports. How are we supposed to catch them?" Standing around waiting was their best option. If not the most humiliating.

"Hmm…" A smile crept to Jar-Jar's lips. He turned to the herd of Skalders. "Me'sa be havin' idea." He purred. Ryker, lynx, and the others aren't sure they're going to like this.

 **xxx**

As Obi-Wan, Dooku, and Anakin predicted, pirates flooded the corridors in greater numbers. Their first escape attempt didn't go unheard of. In the event of a second escape they've increased their numbers. They must really want that spice. All the more reason to quicken their pace. Which would be easier if Dooku's age wasn't starting to slow them down. A few cracks at his age were too delicious a temptation for Anakin to keep to himself. Naturally Dooku would have killed them both if he didn't have to drag the bodies. The other reason being not even he can escape the fortress on his own.

"SSHH!" Obi-Wan stopped abruptly. Anakin and Dooku went rigid. Obi-Wan stretched his hearing around the corner. Voices and footsteps headed their way. "Someone is coming! Hide!" They took cover inside a storage closet. A tight fit, but it would serve their purpose. Shadows scaled the wall outside the tiny window. The trio prepared themselves for a guard to ambush.

"One of the boys just contacted me." Tanya startled them, emerging from the corner with Hondo. Their luck working true to form that they decided to stop in front of their hiding place. "There's definitely been a crash in Doshar Fields. A Republic ship." Obi-Wan and Anakin feared the worst. Friends and allies lost in a crash.

"Hmm. This does not bode well." Hondo stroked his chin troubled. That is a monumentous payday lost. It was hard to say, but from what Obi-Wan and the others can see from Hondo, he knew nothing of the crash. Likely didn't plan it either. Given the squirmish from earlier with Tanya and those thugs, there is great dissolution within the ranks. "Know if there were friends on board?"

"I told you...they aren't friends…" She huffed, trying to maintain her composure. These taunts of his are wearing on her nerves. "And I'm not sure. I don't...even know who was on board." Her ears sank. Sadness glossed her eyes.

"The Jedi didn't tell you anything?" Hondo question curiously, arching a brow.

"They did. But I don't believe them." She folded her arms, head shrinking between her shoulders. _Like they'd really send Jar-Jar along. What was I thinking?_ Then again...

"Or do you not want to?" Hondo pressed. Tanya's heart skipped a beat. She pulled her hood to hide her faltering poker face, then turned on her heels and left. Hondo let the distance span for a moment, then followed after her. The sooner she completes her task, the sooner she can escape what is troubling her.

Obi-Wan, Dooku, and Anakin slowly crept one at a time from the closet. They tiptoed in the opposite direction of their _hosts_. They will have to find another route to the shipyard. "HONDO! There's trouble! We found ten of our best guys dead!" The trio were halted. Ten more men murdered in the same day? This is unheard of. And just how many men did Hondo have in his employ? Whatever the answers, one clear conclusion is that Tanya is the culprit. Escape may have been on their mind, but what bothered them is why Tanya is killing so many people. Is she going on a rampage? They crept to the corner and listened closely.

Five Weequay found Hondo and Tanya, fresh out of breath in their pursuit of their captain. The man in the middle had tassels running down all sides of his head. "They were butchered no better than animals! Left to rot on the cold floor!" He frothed at the mouth, shooting his dagger filled glare to Tanya.

"What are you leering at, Mahngo?" She tore her hood off. She has nothing to hide from this lout.

"Spill it! Did you kill them, you witch?" He angled his sword to her. Tanya snickered darkly, her eyes glowing hungrily.

"Such accusations! How dare you!" Hondo boomed rabidly, sweeping a protective hand in front of her. The hidden trio noted this stance. There's no mistaking that. Hondo is very fond of his goddaughter.

"Come on! Their necks were broken! That's her speciality!" Tanya giggled behind a hand. He's got her there. She does love breaking those fragile bones beneath such delicate flesh. It makes her tingle. Obi-Wan and Anakin needed no further confirmation. Much to Dooku's delight, Tanya's on a killing spree. But for what purpose? As barbaric as the scenes are, she's never killed without reason. "I know you're behind this! You have to be!" Mahngo came within a foot of her, aligning his sword to the thin veins of her neck. "I'll-"

"You'll WHAT Mahngo?!" She dared him with a fanged grin. He hand snapped to the sword. Mahngo was horrified and aghast. Blood trickled from her fingers as she poured unfathomable strength into pushing the sword away. Her pupils narrowed to slits. She ran her tongue over her teeth. "You know what? Maybe I'll gut you first!" Cracks came from the wriggling fingers of her free hand. Swords or no, she can still leave his entrails on the floor.

"Enough now, both of you!" Hondo ordered.

Veins split in Tanya's skull. She directed unbridled rage toward him. "Stay out of this! You're the one-UGH!" Her rage was completely disintegrated. Her eyes returning to their previous state. Mahngo, too, was also leveled.

A fury unlike anything Tanya has seen in quite some time emanated from Hondo. A detached and petrified glare seeped past his goggles. An aura wafting from his shoulder seeped beneath her skin, peeling back to layers. Twisting and corroding her insides so torturously that even her alter ego's knees started to clamor. "I said...enough!"

That one word - no, more like a spell - reverberated throughout her ear, rattling her bones to the marrow. Under the influence of that spell, her hand released Mahngo's sword and he in turn stepped back. "R-right…" She stammered. The Jedi and Sith gawked on in awe. Tanya was afraid.

"All of you return to your post!" Hondo ordered, snapping everyone out of their trance. "Warn me when the Republic arrives!" Mixed replies of _yes sir, on it,_ and _going_ stuttered within the group. They scampered off like frightened mice, sprinting at mach speeds to escape him. Tanya felt she could finally breathe again. She rubbed her head, feeling like her skull is splitting in two. Seriously, what's going on in there? She's been flashing in and out. "Are you alright?"

"So to speak…" She groaned. Dooku sensed otherwise. There is a turmoil brewing in that head of hers. And it isn't happy about being put in its place. "You didn't mention the crash in the fields."

"Gamblers understand what the winners do not." Was his very vague retort.

"What does that even mean?"

"Never show your hand until the cards are in place." He placed a hand at her back, moving her along. "Just you wait and see. Turk will show his true colors before the day is over. And if we play our cards right," He pressed a door's button, "We will lure him and his traitorous brethren out and kill them all." Tanya sighed despondently, hoping it will be as easy as he says.

Once the door closed behind them, The Jedi and Sith emerged, sneaking on their intended route.

"There's a hierarchy if ever I saw one." Anakin muttered rather disappointed. "Tanya cowering to someone who she can clearly beat with both hands behind her back." It was enough to make him split his side laughing.

"Once again you underestimate him, Skywalker." Dooku would remind the impetuous youth of their current situation. "I watched this man root Tanya with but a glare on Vanqor. The fear she displayed was both of respect...and dominance."

"I saw it too." Obi-Wan concurred. That's how she behaves around Master Yoda. He gives a particular stare and she becomes submissive. "Tanya knows who she will win against, and who can defeat her. But if she respects that person, she will never lift a hand to them." That rankled Anakin to no comprehensible end. If that is the case, she's sparred with him, the clones, and others in the past. Does that mean she has no respect for them? That girl so has a lot of explaining to do.

As the fleeing trio took their leave, the door their enemy departed through opened again. Hondo and Tanya reemerged from the corner, grinning hungrily at the prey meandering aimlessly down the corridor. They're making this so easy they almost feel guilty.

"A good thing I don't enjoy easy kills." Tanya purred.

"Let them have this final moment." Hondo permitted, scratching her between the ears. "Then you may engage them." Her forked tongue unrolled from her steam wafting lips. Her fangs dripping with venom like saliva. He taunts her so.

 **xxx**

"WHOOAA!" Ryker and his team cried. They knew Jar-Jar was crazy, but they didn't think he was this insane. Riding the Skalder herd to the enemy compound. If they can stay on long enough, that is. Riding these things bare back was not even remotely close to making it onto their bucket lists! Maybe riding a speeder on the edge of a volcano on Mustafar. That is exhilarating. But a beast they cannot control, and can barely stay atop riding? They might as well jump and pray for minimal injuries. It solves their transportation problem, but the clones sincerely doubt these animals will last if they encounter blaster fire. Their only faith that this will turn out well is that Gungans, to accompany their uncanny hearing, also have a keen connection with wildlife. As long as they life Jar-Jar, they can only hope they won't be tossed.

"Look! There they are!" Ryker bellowed. All the complaints aside, the skalders gained on the speeder bandits. Amazing how much speed these beasts possessed. Jar-Jar kicked at the sides of his skalder. He tripled his speed, guiding his herd to do the same. The bandits were drawing closer and closer, and the stolen spice shipment was within their grasp. Lynx and two other troopers opened fire.

The bandits turned, stunned nearly into a crash at the clones and Gungan gaining on them on Skalders. Surviving a crash is one thing. BUT A DAMN GEYSER?! What sort of sorcery do these fools consort with? No matter. Sorcery or gods, nothing will save them this far in the open. The Weequays twisted round, firing blindly at their encroaching adversaries, all the while trying to steer clear of the fissures sprouting from the ground. They were missing by miles. Their shots flew too high or were blown off course by their speed. No taunting warning shots becoming narrow kill shots here. These pirates may be good shots while the element of surprise is theirs, but they are a travesty when frazzled.

Two of the speeders took damage in the aft. The spiraled out of control into one another. Jar-Jar split the group in two. The speeder passing in a blaze that erupted in a harrowing explosion. The spice containers were unscathed. The remaining bandits did not falter. They poured on the laser bolts, their entire bodies turned by this point. One of the skalders took a hit to the ankle. Tried as it might to stay in the stampede, the pain tore into its ankle. It veered suddenly to the side. Ryker leapt off, caught by Jar-Jar and saved from a very unforgiving skip across the harsh terrain. But now he was free to draw his second pistol, and send these fool pirates running.

A crack formed in the ground. Acid erupted from a new geyser formed. One of the pirates looked ahead too late. He was swallowed by the acid. He and his speeder nothing more than gnarled, charred flesh. A second speeder met the same fate. A new geyser took root and erupted right under him. He didn't stand a chance. The remaining spice containers detached from the charred speeders, the solid metal sealing the precious resource sustaining the harshest of damages.

The two pirates that escaped the spouting geysers didn't turn back or stop. They kept heading forward, back to their master like wounded dogs. Jar-Jar wasn't ready to give up the chase just yet. "Let them go, sir!" Ryker implored, driving the skalders herd to a halt. Jar-Jar panted as his high wore off. "We have the spice!" That was their goal. No more, no less. And with the spice back in their possession, and the skalders as their ride, the advantage was slowly becoming theirs again.

 **xxx**

"Blast it all!" Obi-Wan cursed. A Jedi is trained to keep his temper at all times. To dispel any and all frustrations, and maintain a cool composure whilst on the battlefield. Obi-Wan's cool head and composure evaporated with this tenth loop back to their starting point. This compound was an enormous maze. No! It's worse than a maze! It is as if a man with an obsession over puzzle cubes designed this place and is pulling levers that shift their route when they least suspect it. Just when Obi-Wan thinks they've found a new way out of there and to the shipyard, there are either guards in the way or the corridor takes them to a broom closet. Brooms, by the way, that are in immaculate condition only from lack of use. "Curse this compound!" He hissed through gritted teeth.

"I am in agreement with you." Dooku slowed his breathing through his nostrils. He's losing steam fast. "This Hondo Ohnaka is by far the more tolerable aspect than this fortress!"

"I'm really wishing we can just blow a hole in the wall and escape through there!" At risk of bringing the entire compound on their heads, he'd set of a string of explosions in order to get out of this hellish place. Anakin groaned loudly, rubbing fingers to the migraine pounding at the base of his skull. Footsteps in the distance rang loudly in his ears. A shadow scaled the wall from the adjacent hall a few feet from them. "Dammit! We have to hide!" He searched desperately for a single out. He heard voices from the next hall over. That only left the door ahead. "In here!"

"We don't know where that leads!" Obi-Wan protested.

"If it doesn't sound alarms, it better be heaven!" Anakin lead the charge, practically dragging the older masters. The door flew open. A massive storage room spanned before them. It wasn't ideal, but they'd be able to wait out whoever was coming by in there.

"Wonder why we were asked to check this hallway." A yawning guard asked his lackluster friend. "Come to think of it, a lot of strange relocation orders have been called. What's going on?"

"Who knows? Whatever passes the time to lunch."

 **xxx**

Anakin listened at the door. He relaxed as the voices got further away. "Alright. I think they're gone. Let's-" He pushed the button. A negative trill kept the door closed. "Huh?" Anakin pressed it two more times, receiving the same sound. He pounded his shoulder to the door, hoping the jar something loose. "Come on! What's! GRR!"

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan nervously spoke.

Anakin spread his hands, willing the force to open that door. He was taken by shock. It wouldn't move an inch. This is unheard of. The force can move anything! It's like he's being blocked. "The door! It's sealed shut! I can't open it!"

"What?!"

"Did you break it?" Dooku taunted with noteable irritation.

"I don't see you lending a hand!" Anakin barked.

Clapping fired jolts into their backs. Maniacal cackling bringing chills to their flesh. "Ooh, a dead end. Very poetic." The trio spun. "Though I'm not really one for poetry. It's too gentle for my taste." Their heads tilted to the upper walkway. They grimaced at Tanya lying casually along the railing, her tail swaying to and fro, and her fame malicious grin plastered to her cheeks. "I honestly wondered how many more times you morons would wander in circles before coming in here." She tucked a comlink into her pocket. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to get these plebes to go somewhere without giving them a reason?" She sat up, crossing her legs. Obi-Wan and Anakin must be exhausted. They hadn't the faintest clue what she was talking about.

Dooku snorted under his breath. He thought something was off about the appearance of the guards. How they would conveniently amass in corridors he was certain lead to their freedom. "You lured us here." He rumbled. "You've been watching us, diverting us to this corner." She is the shadow that has been at their feet.

"BINGO!" Tanya flamboyantly snapped her fingers, pointing at the genius in the room. "I do so love how brilliant you are, Count. And for all the brilliance of you three combined you still came waltzing in here. Bravo."

Obi-Wan and Anakin balled their fists. They walked right into a trap. How the Hell did this happen? When did they get so sloppy. "What are you going to now?!" Anakin barked the question on everyone's mind. She was so glad he asked. "You wanted us off the planet. That's what we're trying to do!"

"That was before Hondo changed the deal. He wants you here, and I'm going to make sure you three stay." She pushed off the railing, sticking a crouching landing atop a stack of crates. When she lifted her head, the eyes glowing at them resembled a demon. "Even if I have to shatter your legs to make that happen." Simultaneously did the Jedi and Sith tense. Obi-Wan and Anakin, their legs quaking, felt an all new set of shackles bind them. This is not why they came here. They did not want to engage her in battle. Risking hurting her. But it would seem her patience for their presence has run dry. Dooku folded his hands, ensuring he gave nothing away. He was not frightened by Tanya. He was entranced. He was smiling. He was about to witness something truly magnificent. "I don't plan to lie to you guys." She cracked her knuckles. Her crazed cackling encased them in ice. "I've been dying to pound you into paste since the moment you set foot here. And with Hondo not yanking my leash I'm free to do so." She licked her lips hungrily. She directed a remote at them. A push of a button powered down their cuffs, and waist shackles. They were astonished. "What? Where's the fun if your movements are limited?" She skipped to the floor, strutting in a catwalk to them.

"Tanya...easy now." Obi-Wan implored, motioning a palm for her to keep her distance. "Please be reasonable."

Anakin wasn't feeling as merciful as his master. He took a fighter's stance. Fists raised and feet spread apart. She wants to fight? He'll be happy to oblige. "There's three of us Tanya! You don't stand a chance!" He declared.

"Oh you'd love to think so, wouldn't you?" She cooed with exaggeratedly pursed lips. "The two masters and the knight so confident in their skills that they would claim victory over ME so early!" She spat heinously at the floor. Their arrogance made her want to puke. The hatred exuding off her was suffocating. Anakin and Obi-Wan are honestly feeling dizzy. Dooku was unphased by the emotional toll, merely leaned to the wall farthest from the incurring fracas. The Jedi seem to forget so easily: Tanya's emotions are a powerful commodity where her powers are concerned. Her boast may not be without merit. "If you're so sure of yourself," Stiffly did her fingers curl. The cracking made Anakin cringe. Tanya spread her arms with a hearty guffaw, "Come at me, Skywalker! Show me what the favored Knight has behind that scrawny physique!"

Now she's gone and said it. "Stay out of this, Master!" He commanded. Obi-Wan grudgingly obliged. Knowing full well Anakin will only thwart him if he steps in to save him. Anakin raised his fists, criss-crossing on his approach. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Tanya remained stagnant, idly watching him with a hungry grin splitting her face down the middle. His shoulders were tense, torso stiff, and his feet were knocking on their crosses. He's a ball of nerves. Tanya couldn't resist and jerked with a, "HA!" Anakin fell for the ploy and threw a premature punch. It drove itself off course. Tanya was impassive and still to the breeze brushing her nose, snickering mockingly. Anakin angrily recovered and threw a second punch. Tanya effortlessly used one hand and pushed it sideways then jabbed her elbow in his nose. Numbing pain consumed that portion of his face. He growled rabidly at the smirking girl, wanting nothing more than to punch clear off. "You're familiar with the six forms, aren't you?" Confusion strained Anakin from the battle at hand. "ONE," A jab to his abdomen, fueled by a pulse of force, expelled blood from his mouth. "TWO!" She hammered an elbow on the back of his neck. "THREE!" Her knee jabbed into his nose. "FOUR, FIVE!" Two flat palmed attacks to his chest had him standing straight. "SIX!" Tanya drew her foot back. With all her might she connected the kick. Anakin's feet never left the ground as he was sent sliding to a devastating collision to the wall nearest Dooku. By pride alone did he remain standing. His vision was blurring. ANd he's sure that flowing blood in his mouth. Both Dooku and Obi-Wan not only felt the breeze of the boy's slide, but the impact of every hit. "I'm sorry…" Tanya crooned, licking her knuckles, "I forget the six forms are only for lightsabers. So sorry." She disdainfully mocked. Anakin growled like an animal. He pried himself off the wall, charging with a drawn back fist. Tanya closed her eyes, effortlessly dodging the strike. He lost his footing. Tanya saved him by the cloth of his tunic, pulling him back. "Well, well, well, Little Ani's having trouble standing up!" Tanya thrusted the ball of her palm into his chin. He staggered away, still standing. "You little semi-demi-mini knight!" She drove three swift punches to his chest, abs, and hips. Each blow carried a pocket of force that erupted on contact. Anakin choked on wind that would not exasperate. As if his insides were rupturing and exploding out his back. "You don't have what it takes, my man!" Tanya then delivered a spinning back heel kick to the side of his head. Anakin's lower body was flipping from beneath him by a crate, sending him head first to the floor on the other side. "Anakin Skywalker," Tanya loomed daunting over him, "You are NO master!"

"You're...wrong! I am!" He spat up blood. He spasmed violently, struggling to peel himself off the floor. His lungs burned, abs alight with splintering pain as he brought his elbows and knees under him. Tanya took a few steps back. She doesn't kick someone while he's down. Especially when they wish to shove delusional conviction to a shallow title. "I'm Ahsoka's master!"

"In only the spirit of the word." She retorted in a drone. She stalked around him, leering at him like dying carcass. In a few seconds he will be. "I'd remark on what you lack but I try not to be hypocritical." She lifted a foot to stomp his face into the steel.

Obi-Wan surprised her with a blitz attack. He rammed her full force with his shoulder, sending her crashing against crates. "Then how about you try a master in spirit and letter!" He dared her.

"Come at me, Bro, all you want!" Tanya roughly shoved her hair back, huffing heatedly as she stomped to her feet. Fury filled her. "The results will be the same!" She charged. Obi-Wan countered her charge with a skip backward, then an uppercut. Tanya weaved back as it breezed past her chin. She swatted it up, throwing the arm aloof, then quickly jabbed him in the ribs. Obi-Wan grunted but easily with a kick to her chest. Tanya was driven to block and guard. Obi-Wan's strikes are far more precise and mindful than Anakin's. He'd start soft to chisel at her defenses, then come in hard for a kill shot in the more vital areas. Tanya was able to deflect and keep up her guard, but she'd be overpowered if she didn't counter soon. And students are supposed to emulate their masters.

"Going easy on me, Tanya, after all your boasts!" Obi-Wan launched a kick.

Tanya hooked a thumb and index finger, driving the foot past. Obi-Wan's eyes widened in horror of her grin. "I never go easy! ON ANYONE!" Her pupils turned to slits. She slammed an elbow into the side of his knee. It did not shatter, but the numbing pain crippled him to a knee. She grabbed him by the face and smashed their foreheads together. Obi-Wan was hit with a gong, dropping dazed to the ground. "You two mistake my skills at hand to hand combat with my skill with the lightsaber. Be assured that I am more dangerous barehanded than with any weapon." Precisely why Dooku has chosen to stay on the sideline. As he constantly warns the young Jedi, Tanya is more dangerous unleashed. She stormed to the writhing pair. "It irritated me to no feasible or foreseeable end! The way more than half you so called Masters and Knights constantly relied on those Night Sticks!" _Nightsticks?_ Anakin gasped. It sounded so familiar. "With those swords you are masters! I would be defeated in an instant! There is no mistake about that!" And seeing as Dooku broke her swords, and her lightsaber is on Coruscant, she'd be dead before she could budge. And she knows it. "But here, weaponless, on my turf, I'M THE MASTER!" She bellowed.

"So it would appear." Dooku concurred, stroking his beard with intrigue.

"Don't plan on joining in?" Obi-Wan coughed. "I thought you savor your bouts with her."

"As vehemently as she attests to despising me, this level of rancor is only because of The Jedi." Tanya glanced to him from the corner of her eye. She despises how he plays the blame game. Regardless if it's true. "She does not attack who she is not furious with." Dooku left the wall, taking a couple steps closer with his hands behind his back. "How can she be furious with the only person in her corner?"

"The same way I can be furious with the tactics that person used to get there!" She snarled.

Dooku's smile only widened. "So you willfully admit that you've let me in your corner?" He teased.

Tanya will savor pummeling him. _Clang, clang, clang!_ Her ears shot up. She caught a glimpse of the door behind Dooku. It came back on. She glanced around, hearing the clanging of inner locks all around. The doors into the storage area are being unlocked. Dozens of bodies are swarming. "I do so hate interruptions." She murmured. She leapt high into a backflip, landing to a loading platform.

Over a dozen pirates swarmed the upper walkway, rifles and pistols in hand. The front door was broken open, bombarded by a handful of more pirates. Anakin and Obi-Wan picked themselves up. They and Dooku kept their hands where the rifle scopes can see them. Tanya arched a sneer upstairs, catching the very proud Turk as he entered like he was a king. "Hey, Turk. Nice timing." She sarcastically greeted. Turk clicked a pistol behind his back. "Now before Hondo see's this mess, why don't we-AGH-GAH!" Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin slapped by utter breathless shock. Turk had shot Tanya twice. Once in her right shoulder, and again in her right side. She heaved in pain, clutching at her side. Her right arm hung limply. The embers eating her flesh washed over with her blood. "TURK...WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" She rasped venomously. Turk's men snickered at the feline, savoring how defenseless she had become in three seconds.

"Isn't it obvious, TRAITOR?!" He fury shattered into complete disbelief. "We're stopping you from not only killing off our boys, but from also helping your _friends_ from escaping." Turk crooned with feigned innocence. The Jedi and Sith seethed at this dastardly tactic.

"THEY AREN'T MY FRIENDS!" She fought to stay standing. "And I'm no traitor! YOU ARE!" She pointed a damning finger at him. "You're working for the Knights behind Hondo's back! You and those dogs I killed in the hallway."

"Wait, what?!" Anakin blurted.

"GAH-HA!" Tanya dropped to her knees, clamping at a fresh laser hole in her thigh.

Turk blew on the barrel of his pistol. "You word against mine, Mental Case!" She glared at him past her matted hair. "Oh yeah! None of us have forgotten your little head issues!" Tanya bit into her lower lip. She glared at the moron stalking to her right, watching in delight of her suffering from two feet away. "Let them be your legacy as you - what do the Jedi say...oh yeah," He stepped to the railing, "Become one with the force!" He aimed his pistol diagonally up. Heads craned upward. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and even Dooku, went completely pale seeing the loads of cargo in a net dangling over Tanya. _He wouldn't dare._ The trio thought. But he did. Turk shot the cables of the cargo. Tanya snapped her head up, teeth bared as the cargo descended. She threw her arms up, crouching defensively, protecting her head. _CRASH!_ One of the crates was packed with smoke bombs that ruptured and filled the bay with a dense cloud. Arms flew up in feeble shields. Insurmountable coughing filled the room. Shouts that they _couldn't see, where is she, did we get her,_ echoed. The Jedi and Sith spread their hands, dispersing the cloud out the windows. Rifles, once again, were trained to their skulls. But their fright filled gazes were focused on the arm poking from the decimated pile. It wasn't moving.

"No…" Obi-Wan moaned.

On Coruscant, a cup of tea shattered on the ground. Mace Windu stood quivering in terror. His hand covering his mouth as bile threatened to spew. His eyes filled with tears. A bolt struck him to the core. A gaping hole within him tearing where Tanya resided. _Tanya...no..._

Anakin and Dooku didn't want to believe it either. "Master Kenobi." Dooku directed their attention down, bowing his head with respected mourn. The Jedi felt their hearts bleed. The one hand poking from the pile was clenching in an unyielding fist. A pool of blood spilled from beneath. The fist trembled...then it collapsed open. And just like that...she was gone. Tanya Fett...was no more.

 **To be continued.**


	17. Thus Rises the Assassin

**T hus Rises the Assassin**

 _Compassion is not a weakness, but a strength._

 **xxx**

 _ **A reunion of the most foul. The Republic and Separatist war reaches the Vanqor system, reuniting Tanya Fett with Ahsoka Tano, Count Dooku, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and close friends of clones. Thus a long road to Hondo Ohnaka's front door was paved. Capture of the trio of Masters has insured Hondo with a hearty delivery of spice, and is to be delivered by Jar-Jar Binks. And has bred treachery amongst the ranks, sending Tanya on a hunt. And now an affront to Florum's borders rages on!**_

 _ **Jar-Jar and a team of Clones engage the pirates of Turk Falso - Hondo Ohnaka's traitorous second in command. The spice, stolen by this ragtag team was recovered. Now it is a race to rescue their friends, and secure the King of this war torn, neverending game of chess.**_

 _ **Back at the compound, Kenobi, Skywalker, and Dooku attempt numerous escapes that end in failure. Around every corner awaited Hondo's men and Tanya, sending them back into their cages. On their next run they are lured into the cargo area where they are confronted by Tanya. She challenges Skywalker who she dispatched viciously and without effort. As Obi-Wan stepped in to defend his Apprentice's honor, Turk Falso arrives with his team and makes Tanya the first victim of their coup. Once they were done playing with her, Turk dropped a heavy payload upon Tanya, bringing an end to the Berserk Assassin.**_

 **xxx**

"YEAH-HA-HA!" Turk pumped his pistol, exciting his men into a boisterous cheer. They looped arms to each other's necks, jumping high and hooting loudly. Clanks of rifle barrels in place of ale mugs ricocheted throughout the storage area. They had done it. After years of suffering under the heel of this pompous brat, constantly living within her pride swelling shadow, Tanya Fett WAS DEAD! Shot into submission and crushed under heaps of cargo. A perfect representation of the dire hatred they felt for this upstart. Living in the pride of her place within The Creed, and the enormity of her freaky Jedi powers, dulled her killer instincts and hindered her ability to evade death. And now, with that pool of blood as evidence, that reign has come to a close. Leaving only little baby Boba. He won't be a problem for Turk. If he took out his big sister and superior number, he will be easily pickings.

Obi-Wan and Anakin, deaf to the barbaric cheering of Turk and his animals, looked on in dazed horror. The spanning pool of crimson, still as warm as the body from which it spills, ensnared them in gut wrenching distress. It's a nightmare. A horrible nightmare. A sudden shock of pain will jolt them awake. Tanya will be standing there in front of them, claiming to want their heads on a platter. Any second. Any...second. No. No this...this couldn't be happening. She has to come out from under there. Her hand, sticking out from the collapse, would curl up and she would break free. Turk and his men will be slaughtered like lambs. She has to be alive. She just has to be.

Dooku? He remained silent. Still. Observing the wreckage with a discerning and stern eye that peeled away the layers to the body beneath. Yes, the death of Tanya Fett does seem impossible. The girl survived fires, hailstorms of lasers bolts, battle droids, Dooku and his generals, and much, much worse in her young tenure as a warrior. To be done in by suplies? This is unfounded. In the midst of this heavy pondering, as the reality took its solemn place, a tingle formed in his chest. He leered hard at the crates...and smiled?

"Why so down, Jedi?" Turk scathingly mocked. He placed a foot to the upper walkway bar, leaning in with a triumphant grin. "She was about to kill ya and leave ya for the scavengers. We just took out your traitor for ya." He taunting motioned beckoning hands. "Show some appreciation." Obi-Wan and Anakin disdainfully bared their teeth at him. "Hmph! How like a Jedi to be ungrateful. Oh well, don't matter much to me." He snapped his fingers. His men on the walkway beside him and on ground level raised their pistols and rifles, barrels homed in on the Jedi and indifferent Sith Lord. "The moment your rescue party arrives, the ransom I collect with be thanks enough!"

Obi-Wan and Anakin stood their ground, not allowing this wretch the satisfaction of seeing them squirm. "Masters," Dooku impeded on their foolish posturing, "Might I suggest we collect our losses and put distance between us and these ruffians!" He urged. But Obi-Wan and Anakin weren't listening. Defiantly they squared their bodies, ready and waiting to finally put these pirates in their place. Revenge is not the Jedi way, this is true. But these brutes will not take another step further without a few broken bones first. Turk's men tightened their formation. The numbers mounting against the Jedi and Sith Lord quelled their nerve. The odds are significantly out of their favor. Even with their bonds removed - an unintentional boon from Tanya - they can't tackle laser bolts shrieking from every direction. "Masters! We must retreat! Now!" Dooku...Dooku was right. They had to move! They had to move now! Without their lightsabers, and with Anakin barely standing, they won't be able to hold off Turk and his men for very long. But they...they couldn't leave Tanya. They have to recover her. "Kenobi, Skywalker, NOW!" Dooku bolted out the door.

"KILL THEM!" Turk bellowed. Laser bolts pierced the air, tearing crates to tatters.

Anakin and Obi-Wan hated it, but they ran after Dooku. They slammed the door shut behind them. Dooku slammed palms to either side of the door's arch. A harshly tuned pulse caved the arch's sill to the door, jagged tears in the metal hooking into the metal. The recoiling springs and hydraulic powered retractable hinges were warped and snapped. Ferocious pounding boomed from the other side as the pirates wrestled in vain to get out the door. Their profane shouts dripping with venom at the Jedi and Sith not opening the door when commanded. "We must hurry! There are alternate ways into the storage area, meaning alternate ways out!" Dooku reminded. Precisely the method that let Tanya and Turk corner them. Unwilling to be cornered twice, the trio ran back down the same hall that brought them to their predicament, never looking back as they darted for their escape. Obi-Wan and Anakin, dreading ever making it back to Coruscant, feared the news they will inevitably have to relay to Mace.

 **xxx**

Windu wandered the temple with his head bowed in solace. Moseying by the large pane windows, gazing out to the sunset bathing the temple's garden in it's soothing glow, he felt weightless. Baffling for a man who not a few short minutes ago went pale as the moons of Mandalore. The cold, gnarly fingers of the reaper's hand, from across the cosmos, reached inside of him and crushed a small piece of his soul. Somewhere out there, far beyond where he could ever hope to go, a terrible incident befell his padawan. Former in self-proclamation only. He knew not what it was, only that he sensed she was in danger. WAS. Since excusing himself that feeling has changed. Only slightly. Within the Force lies the formidable presence of his Padawan. At the same time…something so dark...that it can't possibly be her. And it was rising in a storm. This...this is not unfamiliar to him. He stared into the sunset, able to see the cold black abyss that is space. He placed his hand to the window. As he was out of range to intervene, he offered this in compensation, "Be wary as you fall into its sights."

 **xxx**

Three Weequay bashed the door with the butts of their rifles. They shouted curses for the damn thing to open, going as far as to punch and kick it. The second the adrenaline wears off, they're going to feel that one. It didn't take them long to conclude the door was jammed, and their prizes were getting further away the longer they fussed with it. The door controls were busted. Probably by the old man. One jammed his rifle barrel into the gap at the sill, applying his full weight to the body to force the metal to give. The other two just kept hammering away, thinking something will give eventually. The rum's gone so far to their heads they don't even realize they're only making things worse. That door will never move again.

"Dammit all! Keep on tryin'! We can't let them escape!" One of Turk's boys barked. Turk leered disdainfully. Those Jedi are a bigger headache than they are actually worth. "They sealed the door shut, Boss! There's no gettin' out!" He exclaimed irately. He was tickling the grenade attached to his lower back.

"Then use the back doors!" Turk frothed at his man's idiocy. He sarcastically gestured to the other two around them. "This place was built for speedy exits! Use 'em!" He threw an empty cup. It bounced of one pirate's head. Others snickered. The trio kept at the door for no other reason than to get it open. Never surrender, least of all to a door. The rest of Turk's men scattered, hollering at one another to pick the pace. Their payday was getting away. Turk scoffed at those bumbling drunks tripping over their own feet to get out a door. Whoever said _can't find good help these days_ was a philosopher of the ages.

"Oye, Boss…" Another man meandered to his side, whispering in his ear. "What about…" He trailed off, woefully facing the pile that contained the body of Tanya Fett.

"Let her rot there for a while longer! She ain't goin' nowhere." He cackled. There will she lie as the flames of Hell consume her. The storage area was made vacant, save for the men at the door. Unknown to them, the hand sticking out from the cargo pile balled into an electrified fist. An eye that was close flared open. Amethyst fading to abysmal grey. The pupil narrowing to a slit.

 **xxx**

Dooku and Obi-Wan aren't too sure where they were or how far within the compound they've run. With their escape attempts and their roundabout traveling one would think they'd have a map of the place etched into their skulls. Instead they're more turned around than they were before.

"Let's stop here!" Obi-Wan implored. He subconsciously noted that Dooku's ailing age prevents him from keeping up. But his main fret was for Anakin. He was huffing and puffing like a man who just got the snot beaten out of him by a teenager with anger issues. Tanya really dealt a beating to him. Worse than what he's witnessed in the past. Count Raum of Aetha and his commander Valeera got off easy. Obi-Wan gave him a superficial check up, searching for broken or bruised bones. He was cringing by how hard he was hit. Anakin's nose was in tact by some miracle. Might be swollen for a week. He has a nice shiner. Tanya's blows to his abdomen didn't seem to break anything. He was alright superficially. Pride wise? Probably best not to ask. "This has gotten too far out of hand." He rumbled.

"That is the understatement of the day." Dooku sardonically remarked.

"Remind me again why you are still here!" Obi-Wan snarled. He's lost all patience for this traitor.

"I am not so arrogant that I cannot see the benefit of numbers in our current predicament." In other words, to spare his delicate ego, he'd be caught and killed if found on his own. Given the entire base in up in arms to find them, all three of them are likely to be slaughtered if they aren't careful. "And besides, I would hate to be alone with Hondo Ohnaka when he learns what's befallen his precious goddaughter." Obi-Wan felt ice snare his spine. He completely forgot about him. Turk has more than likely already gone to place the blame of her passing onto them.

"Night Sticks."

Obi-Wan and Dooku were sent for a loop by the random utterance. "What's that?" Obi-Wan remarked to his dazed apprentice.

Anakin's head was throbbing agonizingly. He can hear it ringing in his ears. The words, not the pounding. "Tanya...called our...lightsabers Night Sticks." He heaved heavily.

Dooku ogled the boy strangely. Those jabs to his head scrambled his brain. "Is that significant?"

"I...I don't…I think so." He isn't entirely sure. Not with this pain in his skull. He's heard that before, though. He knows it. Long ago… '"I know I've heard it somewhere before." ' _Nightstick approaching. I repeat - nightstick approaching.'_ That was...when was that? _Yes._ Padme was about to be attacked. Anakin shook the thoughts from his head. "That can wait. What are we going to tell Mace?"

"The truth." Obi-Wan answered drearily frank. His fingers balled into a reluctant fist, bowing his head. "As you will learn one day, Anakin - and I pray that day does not come for many years," He rested a crestfallen hand to his Apprentice's shoulder, "It is not always the Masters that become one with the force." Anakin cringed, his stomach curdling at the thought of Ahsoka...becoming one with the force.

Dooku's sinister laughter furrowed their brows. He widened his smirk to the younger Jedi. "You honestly believe she'd be permitted to become one with the force?" They're sick of him. Sick of his harbinger of death views on Mace's Padawan. Speaking ill of someone who has passed on. And yet...and yet...in spite of all these disdainful feelings...they aren't disagreeing. Not one word. Their cottonmouths didn't go unnoticed by them...or Dooku. The Sith Lord absorbed his triumph silently. _It appears Faith does not extend beyond the Temple._

 _Click, click, click!_ The tiro's brows flared upright, chills scaling their backs. Then they exhaled irately. Turning their heads to the corridor, their hands slowly raised to shoulder height. Five pirates cornered trained rifle barrels for their skulls. Their trigger fingers ready to tense should they so much as twitch. They stalked in side step, surrounding and trapping them at the wall. Their snickering no more than an annoying projection of their arrogance.

"Well now, you lot didn't get too far now, did ya?" The first guffawed.

"Why would they? They're rats that have been thrown into a maze!" Anakin groaned heatedly in the back of his throat. Dooku's expression contorted with malice. His arms gradually lowered to his sides.

"Never mind all that." The final pirate growled. "Let's get these three back to their cells!"

"Hold on! Why should we?" The first stopped his hasty friend.

"What do you mean why?" He shook off the hand. "Hondo wants these three detained until the ransom arrives-"

"So he can keep it all to himself? No! I have a better idea!" He leered at their catch hungrily. Obi-Wan glanced to Dooku who wore the glare of a ravenous animal. Moreover, the inquisitive hue in his brow isn't one Obi-Wan will soon forget. These men are not of Turk's traitorous crew. Merely opportunists. "We take this lot and hide them somewhere. Once that ransom comes, we swipe it right out from under Hondo and Turk." More than opportunists. They're leeches. "Once they see how easily we tricked the almighty Ohnaka and Falso, the pirates will line up behind us."

"He's a number, you moron! He can take us!" _A number?_ Anakin's heard that phrase before. Back on Frii-Cah, a woman by the name of Aurra Sing. Tanya said much about her that he missed, except for one key fact that made her stand out. Like Tanya - who wear the numeral for Eight on her left hand, Aurra is a number - Number...13 or 3 if he tries to recall - in a group called The Hunter's Creed. Hondo, by this band's own admission, is affiliated with The Creed. A number. And from how Tanya cowed to him, he was her superior in more ways than one.

"Not when there's so many of us!" The fourth jumped in eagerly. "What do you say?"

"I say we do it." The fifth chimed. Dooku has heard enough.

"Okay. Lets-AH!" The first pirate was eager to subdue their prey. Suddenly an unseeable entity clamped vigorously to his throat, lifting his feet from the ground. His comrade gasped in horror, trembling at his eyes ready to burst from his sockets. Then, one by one, the rest were stricken by the same unseen demon. The muscles of their neck squeezed the bone, splintering the fragile windpipe. Blood vessels burst in their eyes. Deseprate gags for air squeaked from their giving throats.

"DOOKU!" Anakin roared. Both of the Count's hands were extended, his fingers one at a time. Black razor edge daggers resonated in across his pupil to brown irises. The blood thirsty eyes of a demon locked to the five men he snared in his grip. A malevolent aura climbed his regal figure from his boots to the crown of his snow white hair. A gifted mortal no longer stood within the hall. But a monster from Hell. "Dooku, enough! Put them down!"

"I will not be returned to those cells, or suffer being executed by these vermin!" Dooku vowed with his teeth bared. He closed his hands. Sickening cracks made Anakin and Obi-Wan gasp. All five men hit the floor, their mouths and eyes frozen eternal agape in horror. His sights narrowed to fresh dust and dirt on their shoes. He eyed the corridor. They tracked dirt in behind them. That's their way out. "Now let us make our escape before more arrive!" Dooku began his run, then stopped. Anakin and Obi-Wan hesitated. "Put her out of your minds, Jedi! Come to accept what is and hurry!" Their fists balled. This is the umpteenth time in the day he's been right, and it disgusts them. In the distance they can hear more of Turk's men, Hondo's men, and others on their way. Anakin took in a brief to stifle the pain from rising. He and Obi-Wan ran in tow to Dooku, coming to a door that took them out the compound's back door.

Florum isn't exactly a tourist hotspot, or a wonderous sight, but it was nice to be outside again. The front door would have been preferable. At least there they would know which direction to head. Possibly procure transportation for themselves. From back here they'd never make it without being filled with holes. And while these pirates aren't the smartest bunch, common sense would tell them to anchor down any ships or vehicles in their possession.

" _Hey! We've got dead ones over here!_ "

" _They're necks are shattered!_ "

" _Those Jedi must have gone this way_!" Obi-Wan hissed through gritted teeth. Their pursuers caught wind of their trail even quicker than before. They need an exit and they need it fast.

"In here!" Anakin knelt to a ledge of a deep trench. It lead into a cave system. "Not sure where this will take us, but it's better than idling here!" Obi-Wan and Dooku sincerely disliked this plan. But, like he said, it beats idling there. They rode the sloshing dirt into the trench, darting into the tunnel and not looking back.

Hondo appeared in a leisurely stride seconds after they disappeared, wearing an impressed smirk upon his face. "They are clever to have made it this far." He applauded them sincerely. Then a frown wrinkled his brow. "Unfortunately for them, that is the end of their trial runs." He returned inside the compound to gather his men. He knows where the Jedi and Sith Lord will exit from. And he will be there to greet them.

 **xxx**

The trio weren't sure how far beneath the ground the tunnel had taken them. They assumed they were descending given the pressure on their ears. The air was thinning slightly, taking away their wind from their mad sprint to salvation. Also weighing on them is the lack of forks or diverting paths within the tunnel. Just a straight line. Neither of the three had to be told to be on extra high alert when the exit arrives.

Anakin tripped on a protruding rock. He braced himself in mid run. His gloved hand sloshed in a moist patch of algae. Odd given how dry it is on this planet. The deeper in they ran, the trio began to taste a musky moisture. Even desert planets have underground reservoirs. They must be passing by a couple. The trapped water, coupled with the intense heat pumping through the veins of the planet, create this humid air and the moss grows from the elements in the rock. Hopefully that just means they're going to beat Hondo to the exit.

The trio arrived at their first fork since they descended into the tunnel. Just their luck the left tunnel was caved in. They darted off to the right, catching the brush of a breeze on their sweaty faces. Unknown to them, the cave in they avoided started to crumble. "I feel wind from up ahead!" Obi-Wan announced.

"Good!" Anakin grunted exasperated. "I can't take being underground much longer." He's sweated off half his body weight being in that tunnel. Though, in the back of his mind, that exit will either be their escape or their grave. That is a bridge they will have to hope to cross when they get there.

The cave was steadily losing light. Obi-Wan hardened his sight ahead, forcing his eyes to adjust more swiftly. The wind was getting stronger, and the heat of the desert was brushing his skin. They were nearly there. All they have to do is pick up their pace. Without slipping on the moss that's growing everywhere. Anakin and Dooku nearly had their feet pride out from under them. Obi-Wan slowed his pace by a margin, allowing himself to adjust to how the cave was beginning to slope. The sweet smell of freedom was just inches away. He saw a light, literally, at the end of the tunnel. He was ecstatic. And suspicious. The way the light was angled. It looked like… "WHOA!" Obi-Wan's foot was slipped out by patch of moss. His eyes finally adjusting to the lack of light saw it. A steep drop into the light he was seeing. He wrenched his body back, only to slip on his other foot. He reached out and snagged Anakin's tunic. Anakin and Dooku, failing to grab onto the cave walls, ended up being dragged down with him. A perilous winding slide swallowing the trio, tossing them and tenderizing them before the imminent plunge that is awaiting. Desperately they clawed to slow down. The coarse yet moist cave slipped from their grasp, tearing their clothing to tatters. Their slide only seemed to grow faster. The tunnel whisking by in blurs. The wind sucked to their faces shoving into their throats and strangling them.

The tunnel finally reached its end. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Dooku were spat out, sent skipping across a lengthy ledge. The trio, in the midst of their battering tumble felt weightless. Horror paled them as they saw the plummet to a gorge of sand leagues beneath them. At a last ditch effort, Anakin dug in his flesh and mech fingers and hooked the ledge. Obi-Wan snagged the end of his tunic and simultaneously caught Dooku by the wrist. The trajectory of their launch stretched them to Anakin's brink, almost driving him to release the ledge. The full weight of the older men swung his body. They were able to scrunch up and ease them impact. Anakin's full front was sucker punched by protruding rock. The wind robbed from his lungs, and the white hot pain splintering his abdomen nearly rendered him unconscious. The end result...they were alright. For now.

Searing pain spread all over Anakin's body as he fought to hold on. His wounds aside, Obi-Wan and Dooku aren't exactly light. He can feel his grip weakening. The ledge was starting to crumble too. Dooku would never say aloud how much or his nerve was lost to the deadly drop. His long life was flashing before his eyes. Obi-Wan shared his silent sentiments. He knows he will become one with the force eventually, but he sure as Hell won't join it like this. "ANAKIN! PULL US UP!"

"CAN'T! TOO HEAVY!" He grunted, trying his hardest to pull them up. He'd go limp in his taxed out effort, on the verge of letting go. Obi-Wan grimaced at Anakin's tunic fraying. And his grip on Dooku wasn't going to hold forever. They needed a plan NOW! None arose in their dire situation. They are on a clock to oblivion. They've done amazing so far. It would seem this is where their luck runs out. Anakin's only idea was, "DROP...DOOKU!" At the very least he'd be able to pull himself and Obi-Wan up.

 _STAMP!_ Anakin's head shot up. _Click, click, click..._ A series of rifles were aimed at him. Horror ran down his spine. Hondo had caught up to them. The Florum pirate released a woeful breath. "I'm guessing this means we won't be friends." Hondo was truly crestfallen. Anakin defiantly bared his teeth. Their only option of escape was to fall, provided they didn't die on impact. They might minimize the injuries they'd obtain if they focus a force blast before impact. That plan was scrapped before it left the drawing board. Even if they didn't die, Hondo's men gathering under them with blasters aimed would finish the job for him. They were caught...again. Hondo motioned with his head for the Jedi and Sith to be retrieved. One by one the trio was tossed onto the ledge. Three men tackled each, securing heavy duty brace shackles to their arms and legs. On their knees they were hoisted, baking under the searing leer of Hondo, soon to be left to the desert for scraps. "What a shame."

 **xxx**

Jar-Jar, Ryker, and what remained of the crashed squad made better headway in their trek to the Pirate Compound now that they have some rotund transportation. The Skalders helped tremendously in making up for lost time. The pirates that ambushed them at the wreckage got theirs ten fold when Jar-Jar and the team caught up with them. The spice was theirs again, and Dooku soon with it. All that's left to do is find the elusive compound full of Pirate cut throats and they can ship him off to a prison cell. Which brings them to a million credit question. Which way was the compound. The pirate that survived left them in the dust as they salvaged their cargo. They're ass backwards up a creek with no paddles.

Lynx scanned the terrain through his binoculars. Nothing but sand, dust, and cliffs for miles around. Welcome to Florum. Definitely see the tourist appeal. "Nothing to the north or to the east." He regretted to report.

"Anything to the south?" Ryker asked.

"Nothing, sir. Who knows where that pirate stronghold is from here." The one time they really need a hand of mercy. A sign. Anything that indicates they were remotely heading in the right direction. "Hello~! What's this?" Ask and you shall receive, as the saying goes. 800 meters to the south, traveling along a trench, were hard wired powerlines. Gracefully surging electrical streams passed between the rods atop the spires. The power was intense. The instruments inside Lynx's binoculars fidgeted. "They must lead somewhere."

"Where there'sa power, there'sa people too!" Jar-Jar announced. He kicked his Skalder into gear, and they were off.

 **xxx**

Hondo took a moment to himself to wrap his head around this mournful turn of events. His niece dead. Half his men have been slaughtered. He's running low on drink to numb the pain. And now he is left in a role he - ironically - doesn't favor. Judge, jury, and executioner. He traced a finger to his freshly sharpened scimitar, emotionless to the thin bleeding cut. He felt nothing at the moment. He was numb. A good sign. Meaning the ones who robbed him of his best friend's daughter will plummet into the breaches of Hell with his face being the last thing they see.

"Tell me something, Turk." Hondo addressed his second man, admiring the sheen of his sword. "With how fast you were to discover Tanya, I can only assume your recovery of my spice was a bum deal."

"There was no DEAL to be had, Hondo!" Turk skillfully elucidated. He anticipated this line of questioning. "The Republic double crossed us! Came with an army! I was the only one to return!" He put a frantic air, seeping with rage.

Hondo spat venomously. "I warned them…" He growled enraged. He bowed his head, squeezing his eyes closed. "Even in a galaxy at war...you hope to find some honor." He shook his head.

"Our honor is about to be reclaimed." Turk promised. "I already sent more of our boys out in the tanks." Hondo angled his sword. The overeager Turk was beaming like a supernova. "By the time they're through, we'll have our spice, and some new targets for target practice."

"Good. They will be an added message to the Republic on what becomes of those who double cross Hondo!" He raised the sword above his head. With a one handed single swing he axed at a table. For a few seconds Turk believed he had missed. Then a thin slit drew in the wood, and the tale collapsed. Turk shuddered at the clean slice. The wood even shined. Hondo sheathed his sword, marching over to cold sweat drenched man. "And while your men are busy," He clamped a firm hand to Turk's shoulder, "We shall deal with the Jedi and Sith Lord ourselves!"

 **xxx**

Jar-Jar and the clones followed the powerlines for a good ways before the Skalders started to become anxious. For good reason. Lynx spotted a massive cloud of dust heading in their direction. Not a natural sandstorm either. Sandstorms don't sound like military grade engines. Jar-Jar and the clones dove behind some rock formations, parking their skalders for a good rest. These beasties earned their weight in food after all this running. The team climbed to the rock face. Ryker and his team kept a watch for enemies close by. Jar-Jar borrowed a pair of binoculars, scanning into the vast distance. He saw what was making all that dust.

"There'sa some bombat clankens heading di'sa way!"

"Uh...what?!" Ryker titled his head absolutely confused. "Bombat clankens." Now, he and his brothers come up with all sorts of names for enemy combatants. But Bombat Clankens was way over his head.

"Uh-huh! Right there!" Jar-Jar handed him the binoculars, pointing in the general direction. Ryker looked, "NO! Over there," He was yanked around, guided like a ragdoll until he finally stopped on three beetle shaped tanks heading straight for them.

"Oh...you're right. Bombat Clankers." He hummed. It all made sense now. And their mission just got three tanks harder. They aren't equipped to handle tanks. They needed to play this by the ear and play it smart. Having a representative around does come in handy sometimes. "Representative Binks, we're going to need your services for this part of the mission."

"Who'sa? Me'sa?!" He questioned skeptically.

"Yes, sir. You are the Senate Representative." Ryker stressed. "We need you to go down and negotiate with the pirates."

Jar-Jar went sickly green. Just him against marauders with tanks. "Me'sa no liken this idea…" He voiced his inner coward, "But I think is'sa what Senator Kharrus woulda do'sa."

 **xxx**

Hondo, with his men bringing them on leashes, escorted his prisoners to the center of his compound. Parading them as his quarry for all his men to see and mock. Hoots and snorts for Hondo's victory were amplified by pounding mugs. Pumping fists were followed by boos at the Jedi and Sith, curses for them to be killed by firing squad amid them. Obi-Wan and Dooku kept their heads. The barbaric croons of lowly pirates are nothing more than bugs buzzing in their ears. Anakin, however, was lapping it up and attempting to spit it back. He'd lung for one pirate, but would be dragged back by the leash on his shackles. He swore then and there that he would make these pirates bleed for this.

The easiest solution to Hondo's rather irritating situation would be to put all three of them in his deepest cell. He should blindfold them, place audio dampening clamps on their ears, and restrain them so tightly that relaxing muscles wouldn't be able to flex. 24/7 will they be guarded. And when the ransom arrives, he will demand extra compensation for the lost men, and the manpower he's had to exhaust trying to keep them locked up. If he'd have known that these three would be so much trouble, he would have listened to Tanya about keeping them unconscious. He can hear her know about how right she is.

"You know…" He paused the mark just outside the compound's main entrance. He just realized something important, "Normally when I've come across you lot, my beloved niece is not far behind." Anakin and Obi-Wan went green. Dooku diverted his glance to the side. Hondo was confounded by their sickly demeanor. Obi-Wan and Anakin's inability to meet his gaze, or rather their extensive effort to avoid it, made his skin prickle. "What? Do you have something you wish to say?" He snickered under his breath. "By the look of you, Skywalker, she gave you quite the beating. I'd be tight lipped too." That's when he assumed, with a sly grin, that she must be off blowing off steam somewhere else.

"Hondo…" Obi-Wan began timidly.

"HONDO!" Turk came charging in frantically. Discontent shared between Anakin and Obi-Wan. Intrigue, however, came over Dooku. Right there with Turk's fake huffing, and posed distress, lies the outline of what is to be a fine bit of theatre. "Hondo! Thank goodness I've found you!"

"Turk! Slow down, what is it?!" Hondo clasped hands to his feverish second's shoulder, shaking him calm.

"Sir...it's...it's Lady Eight!" Turk managed a flawless crack of his voice. There are even beads of sweat. Anakin and Obi-Wan felt their nerves leaving them. Their hearts pounding as they deduced where this was leading.

"Tanya?! What of her? Where is...she?" Truk, with the utmost care, held a folded white cloth out to the pirate leader. It can be seen by the tensing of his neck how nervous Hondo was to pull back the flaps. Ustering his nerve, he pulled a corner, and then another. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Dooku silently gasped. Hondo's insides turned to absolute mush. His widening glossy eyes ensnared by a pair of blood soaked combat knives he would never mistaken. He, the Jedi, and the Sith Lord know them very well. "This is...where did you get these?! Why do you have them?!" Hondo demanded, shaking Turk by the collar. "WHERE IS TANYA?!"

"Boss, we...we…" Turk was trembling. Very convincingly. Hondo and the crowd were eating him up, and it was infuriating. Turk lowered his shaking head. "I'm sorry, boss. We found them on Tanya...on her corpse." Hondo's heart sank. His mouth was quivering. His head rang with denials. Turk inhaled sharply through his nose and blurted, "Tanya Fett is dead!" He put on his most hateful scowl and dramatically swung a damning finger to the captured trio, "Murdered by these three!" Anakin, Obi-Wan, and even Dooku were stricken in absolute disbelief.

Outrage was roared from the surrounding crowd. Cries of falsehood echoing to the very desert. Even a few tears were shed. It couldn't be true! Tanya Fett dead! It's just not possible! Those who knew about Boba began to whimper in fear. He could be in danger, or he'll be heartbroken when he finds out. Disdainful glares shot to the Jedi and Dooku. Fingers tightened to knives and rifles.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?!" Anakin boomed, frothing at the mouth. Three Weequay had to pounce on him and pour their weight in order to keep him in place. "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY, YOU BASTARD?!"

"She was found crushed beneath the crates!" Turk pressed with his slander. "Her body full of holes!"

"We saw it with our own eyes!" One of Turk's men vouched. "She intercepted these three and they used our own weapons on her!" He showed Hondo their rifles and the empty chambers.

Anakin's mouth was grounding on the verge of bleeding. "You filthy-GAH!" The butt of a rifle was slammed in the back of his neck, dropping him to his knees. Another came up and punched him across the face and to the ground. Hondo didn't look or react. He merely listened within a haze. _Tanya...dead._

"They killed her in cold blood, Boss!" Turk pressed. Inside he was working extra hard to not burst into laughter. This was too easy he almost felt guilty. The faces on the Jedi and Dooku only made it harder to hold a straight face. "They called her a traitor and dropped the payload!" Anakin's throat clenched, his teeth grounding. He did call her that.

"That's a lie! We would never harm Tanya!" Obi-Wan passionately protested. He shook off the two guards on his arms, throwing himself to Hondo. The pirate kept his back to the Jedi. His shoulders hunched as a barrier, barring Obi-Wan from getting too close. "Hondo, please, you have my word-"

"And what good is your word to me...Jedi?" Hondo slowly turned. From beneath his goggles, the full brunt of a demon's leer pierced Obi-Wan like thousand sabers. The Jedi wavered, feeling a series of shudders run down his spine. "You would never hurt her?" He scoffed at the farce of a confession. He faced Obi-Wan fully, burning him alive with his hateful glare. "Have you forgotten already that one of your own hurt her in one of the worst ways imaginable?!" He growled rabidly.

"Hondo, please listen." Obi-Wan begged. He understands. He understands perfectly. Mace hurt Tanya. A heart she warmed to him was encased in another layer of ice thicker than before. "I will not deny what happened. But I swear to you we would never have-"

Hondo ceased his inane rambling. He doesn't want to hear another false word from this filthy Jedi's mouth. "Where is...her body? I wish to see her later on." He choked on his drying throat, facing Turk. His fogging goggles obscured his deepest desire to weep.

"We're taking care of her as if she were an angel, Boss." Turk swore with a hand to his chest. "We'll fix her up, and have her ready for you." He promised. He sent two of his men to go retrieve Tanya. The pair turned on their heels, sniggering at their previously given orders.

"Good." Hondo bowed his head graciously. _Boba..._ what is he going to tell Boba? He's all alone now. That will have to be addressed in the very near future. Right now, he has trash to take care of. "Bring them to the wall. We will end this now." He ordered.

"Yes, Boss."

"HONDO! WAIT!"

"THEY'RE LYING! WE DIDN'T DO THIS!" Anakin wrestled violently with his handlers. He and Obi-Wan screamed in protest, begging for Hondo to believe them. The Pirate Captain no longer heard them. He sauntered off to a dark corner of his compound. There waiting for him would be the blade that will roll their heads from their shoulders.

 **xxx**

Jar-Jar had to muster every one of his fibers to drive himself to meet with the encroaching band of bloodthirsty pirates. He can't falter here. Not now. Not with their goal so close. Integrity, loyalty, and the will to come through for his friends will always be Jar-Jar's guiding light. He marched out from hiding and into the vanguard of the fray. Head held high, his determination on hyperdrive, Jar-Jar met the three tanks and stood his ground as they stopped inches from him. He resisted swallowing the massive lump in his throat, and steeled his jittering nerves. His safety means little if it means Ryker and his team will live.

The middle tank driver sprouted from the top, glaring bitterly at Jar-Jar. "And what are you supposed to be?"

Jar-Jar knit his brow. "Me'sa Representative Binks! Me come with the spicen!"

"Binks? Jar-Jar Binks?" The mid driver reiterated familiarly. The name rolled off his tongue like a known sound. Jar-Jar was taken aback, as were Ryker and the others.

"You know him?!" The driver to the left popped out. That's what everyone else, including Jar-Jar wanted to know.

"Only from that frustrating feline Hondo hasn't claimed in his bed!" The two other drivers laughed darkly. They honestly wondered what a wild child like that would be like under the sheets.

"Tanny?! You'sa know Tanny?! Is she'sa with you?" Jar-Jar asked excitedly, searching for sign or cat ear of Tanya.

The tank drivers shared a despicable chuckle. An inside joke that Jar-Jar found himself terrified to know. _Tanny...did you'sa..._ did she send them after Jar-Jar? After them? But that one pirate said...that they only work for that guy Turk. "Hate to break it to ya, _Representative._ " The middle driver cooed mockingly. "Tanya Fett bit the dust an hour ago." The clones in the surrounding background froze in place. Terror gripped them. The middle driver leaned forward, staring Jar-Jar straight in the eye. "SHE'S DEAD!"

 _Dead...dead...dead..._ A bolt to his skipping heart - Jar-Jar was pierced through the chest, plummeting with the echo of his claim resounding as a funeral knell. "No...no…" He gaping eyes fell. His knees became weak. He was staggering to remain standing. "You'sa lie…" He breathed almost inaudibly. His blood boiled in his veins, head spinning at the impossibility. The very notion that Tanya was...was...NO! She isn't! She an't be! "YOU'SA LIE!" Jar-Jar screeched at the top of his lungs, tears running from his eyes. She isn't dead! She's not! They're lying!

"ME'SA WATCHED A TON OF CARGO FALL ON HER AND CRUSH HER!" The middle driver mocked his speech. Jar-Jar was struck for a second time, rooted by sorrow and...and anger. "Turk cut the payload that crushed her into paste! And tonight, once we collect what's ours, you'll be joining her!" He and his men hooted to the sky, letting off shots. A great victory was at hand. Hondo, the Republic, and the Separatists will know to fear the pirates of Turk.

Jar-Jar's arms fell, swaying limp as a puppet's severed head dropped, his shoulders sinking. Ryker and his team were in place, but paused in horror as Jar-Jar walked closer to the tanks. Almost in a trance. Ryker and the others panicked, shrieking about what he was thinking. Then they heard him say, "You'sa...killed...her."

"What you mumblin' about?" The middle driver grunted.

Jar-Jar pulled off a miraculous leap onto the tank. The mid driver jerked back, but was then yanked in close. "You'sa...killed...my...TANNY!" Jar-Jar roared like an animal. The pirate was peeing himself, overcome by Jar-Jar's shadow. He screamed in absolute agony. The other two drivers baked away in their seats, completely stricken by terror. Ryker and his team were equally stunned. Eventually they would move on the pirates. That's if Jar-Jar didn't maul them all before they reached them.

 **xxx**

The back door to the storage area was kicked open. "Man, why do we get stuck cleaning up the trash?" The pirate Clashiin whined immaturely, throwing his head back. He and Rollo dragged three heavy duty bags lazily by their lanyards. Plasma saws were propped to their shoulders. If one wants a body to never be found, never leave it in one piece.

"Aww, don't be so down. Think of it this way." Rollo nudged him playfully. "We get to do whatever we want with the body." He wiggled his brow lecherously.

"Ooh…" Clashiin shivered pervertedly. "I can think of a few fun things." He licked his lips. "For such a riley girl, I wonder if her purity ever stayed in tact."

"Can't wait to find out." Rollo chuckled. He and Clashiin got right into moving the large crates, tossing them to the scrap heap to never be used again. The cargo they held spilled everywhere. The last two crates were moved from the cold blood pool. The body would soon be theirs for the play. But when they reached the bottom, "Huh?!" Rollo staggered back. "What?! But that's…" He went pale.

"Faldio?!" Clashiin cried. A dead Weequay lied crushed almost beyond recognition, lying in the blood pool they know to be his. It was one of Turk's boys. Another who ambushed Tanya in her final hurrah. "What the Hell is he doing here? How did he get here?!" They saw it with their own eyes. Tanya was right under that payload when it fell.

"And where's Fett?!" That was the million credit question of the year. Faldio is where she was supposed to be. Did someone move her? No. There aren't any drag marks. Is she...could she be...no way. "Hmm…" Rollo knelt to the blood pool. Something about the way Faldio's body was lying irked him. It didn't seem...natural. He squinted hard, leaning in close. "Check this out." He traced a finger to an irregular void in the blood. A closer look showed that it was wider than the body. "Something was here. Then it was moved."

A black mass dropped behind them. "But how? And when?" A mangy looking shadow of a figure rose behind them. A twisted grin of fangs stretching a pair of lips ear to ear. Grey, satanic slit eyes absorbing the quarry. A shrill ignition of a red lightsaber got their attention.

 **xxx**

The time for judgment was now. Dooku, Anakin, and Obi-Wan were thrown onto their knees at the edge of the compound's towering wall. The trio growled animally, then glared out at the vast desert and cliffs. The shrill breaths of the dry wind gliding across the land carried with it despair and loss. This place, should they not think of a plan, would become their grave. Hondo arrived with a scimitar folded behind his back and his head bowed. Anakin swallowed a large lump, half expecting their necks to be severed on the spot. Instead, Hondo meandered past them, stopping with his toes hanging off the ledge. He stared out to the desert he always found peace of mind within, tilting his head back so the air would flow up his nostrils. The wind wafted through his jackets, flapping the tail like the wings of a bird. He resembled someone who reached absolute resolution, coming to be at peace with what is, what has been, and what will inevitably come. He bears regrets as he stands there, and soon they shall be cleaved from his shoulders. As he grips and squeezes his sword, he becomes resolute on his next act.

Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Dooku remained silent. The grimacing trio kept completely still, but writhed on the inside. Will he torture them? Will he kill them then and there? Is he going to throw them off the wall? The only certainty was this: Hondo intended to make them pay in full for Tanya, and Windu will be the first to learn what his actions have cost him.

"I've made a decision." Hondo grimly stated. "You three…" The named three stiffened as Hondo traced his thumb and index finger along the sword's razor edge, "Are no longer worth a ransom."

Anakin's face dropped. There was a crack in his demeanor, and he burst into hearty laughter. Obi-Wan and Dooku gawked at him. The heat finally got to him. Hondo remained impassive toward his laughing. Truk and the gaggle of men exchanged baffled expressions, their trained guns wavering up and down. "Does that mean you're letting us go?" Anakin scoffed. "Probably the smartest thing you've done all-"

Hondo rapidly spun, jabbing the butt of his sword into Anakin's temple. Anakin hit the ground hard, blood leaking from the wound. His previous wounds were agitated. Blood coughed from his mouth. "ANAKIN!" Obi-Wan cried. Two pirates poured their weight on his shoulders, mounting him in place.

Hondo relaxed back into his composed stature, the sword back behind his back. He gazed upon the Jedi and Dooku, indifferent to Anakin's bloodied snarl. "I have held back my aggression with the utmost dignity and discipline as it was Tanya's outbursts that needed reining in." Her constant urges to lay these men flat were causing him trouble. His glare sharpened. "But now that she is gone, I have no reason to hold back. No reason in the least."

"Hondo, please! You can't possibly hold us responsible!" Obi-Wan implored. "We did not come here to kill her! We would never kill her!"

"Responsible? No. Never. You three, I can sense, would never harm Tanya in such a manner." If these three had wanted to cause her harm, they would not have been so lenient as he has seen. Dooku, on Vanqor, delights in tempting her to succumb to her murderous tendencies in order to face the assassin that lurked within. Obi-Wan and Anakin, before surrendering their weapons, could have easily overcome her. Even bare handed, with enough wiggle room, those two could have defeated her. Nonetheless, they showed her the utmost respect, and they treated her properly. "On the other hand, you are the root cause." He countered, astonishing them. "You know, for the sake of my Goddaughter, I chose to show the three of you mercy." They gawked baffled, exchanging their confusion with one another. For Tanya's sake? From how Tanya was behaving, she was ready to kill them herself. "Do not be so surprised. As you well know, Tanya hides what respect or admiration she has behind hostilities. And, though she will never admit it, part of her admirers the three of you greatly." This caused Anakin and Obi-Wan to gasp aloud. Dooku, on the other hand, chuckled. He suspected as much. "It was my hope she would quell the hurt within her. But now," Hondo set the tip of his sword under Dooku's chin. The Sith Lord was blank to the very real threat, "You three have caused me so much trouble, I have decided no spice is worth all this." Dooku dropped his attention to the trembling sword, then followed it back to the pirate. A small smirk teased the corners of his mouth. His incomparable palate tasted the rage, anger, and sorrow flowing through Hondo's veins. The sadness he desperately tries to hide behind his goggles - the glare greatly resembles that of... _Boba Fett._ "Had you three just remained in your cages, behaved..." He choked up. His welling rage inched him forward. Dooku leaned back, wincing partially as the blade nicked his skin, "I would not be tormented on a call I must make to the only survivor of Clan Fett!"

Anakin gasped in shock. That night with Padme three years ago, ' _Two figures inside her room, a third outside._ ' "There's...another Fett?"

"Indeed there is." Hondo purred. Boba Fett: younger brother to Tanya, and only son of Jango. "And in every sense of the word, he is ten times more dangerous than Tanya ever was. Two behemoths, the younger worse than the elder." A demon in Mandalorian armor when driven to his breaking point. "Unfortunately for you, you deal with me. The man who restrained both behemoths with but a glance." The trio grimaced. They'd nearly forgotten that. Tanya would fly off the handle, then would be made submissive with his harsh leer. "I will see you three suffer. You will be executed." Turk's brow knit. He glanced from one Weequay to the next. Each one nodded to him. "And the spice that is on it's way will be used to house your bodies as it is sent back to your Republic."

With this proclamation, Turk chuckled triumphantly. Hondo, Anakin, Dooku, and Obi-Wan glanced confusedly to him. "And it is now here that I tell you," Turk licked his thumb, directing an index finger to his soon to be former boss, "There is a change of plans, Hondo." Three Weequay trained their muzzles to the Jedi and Dooku, the other six surrounded Hondo, each one aiming for a vital point. Hondo knit his brow, glaring at the grins encircling him. Those inside the compound remained oblivious to the coup taking place above. Half of them too drunk to really care even if they were aware.

"Ahh, Turk, so you show your true colors at last." Hondo breathed nonchalantly. "What took you so long? I've never known you to be so patient."

"You don't seem surprised. Did that bitch cat of yours reveal us?"

"You will watch your tongue!"

"I will do nuthin for you!" Turk frothed at the mouth. He relaxed with a twisted smile, not wanting to end his fun too soon. "To be honest, I was more than willing to wait for my boys to return with the spice themselves. But they were taking way too long." Obi-Wan frowned pensively. Before, a Republic ship crash landed in what is called Doshar Fields. Turk, by his own admission, was taking advantage of the crash to triple his payday and strip Hondo of his. "I was willing to wait, Boss," Turk clicked the hammer on his pistol, "But you just had to get caught up in your drama and make this ultimate mistake. Taking away my pay!"

Hondo narrowed his sights. He stared past the boasting Turk, noting a shadow darting left to right from the wall's spires. "I see now." He sighed dismally, returning his attention to Truk. "Hiding the crash in Doshar Fields from me. Your constant vanishing acts. And your _discovery_ of Tanya's body…" His fists balled. He faced Turk, raising the full length of his sword toward him, "You killed my niece in cold blood. Shot her, and dropped heavy cargo on her to silence her forever." Turk and his men only laughed at how late he was at putting the pieces together. Or rather, how late he was to stop them before Tanya's untimely demise. The shadow in the background was getting closer, and no one seemed the wiser. "Very well. Before I am silenced, explain what has brought you lot to turn against me."

"That's easy!" Turk guffawed. "Since the day you allied to Jango Fett, your style has become outdated, soft, OBSOLETE!" Hondo knit his brow. What a simple reason. This is why he never let Turk off his leash for very long. Such idiotic reasons would have cost him his entire compound, and the arsenal he's amassed over the years. "Time for you to join him and that bitch of his in Hell." Hammers clicked back and rifles rose to his head. Hondo closed his eyes and folded his hands and sword behind his back. He lowered his head.

"Hell, huh? How boring." A female voice crooned. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Dooku, overcome by a dark chill, gasped in utter disbelief.

"AH!"

"GAH!"

"HRM!"

"RAGH!"

"What good is Hell when it merely returns us to this mortal plane?" The voice spoke again. A ravenous smile stretching blue lips ear to ear. Guns fell from shaking hands. Shaky breaths suffocated in the gaping mouths of the bulging eyed pirates. Fingers clutched at their chests. The y whimpered and shrieked, falling to their knees. Their nails dug so deep they tore flesh and cloth. Rasping coughs worsened what attacked their beating hearts. Every... single… beat...EXCRUCIATING PAIN! Blood erupted from their mouths. The pressure that mouthed harder after each beat squeezed blood from I'm their eyes. They wailed ghoulishly in agony desperately wanting the pain to stop. Their wish was granted. Right their chests, those beating organs were squeezed like over ripened fruit. From their mouths and eyes blood exploded, and they fell. The curtain they created removed from the bruised feline figure standing amid the searing sun. "I've been there several times. Nothing really changes."

"What…" Turk trailed off.

"The…" Anakin breathed.

"HELL?!" Dooku and Obi-Wan cried. Those ears, the tail, that predatory smile - it couldn't be.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" The three pinning the Jedi and Dooku jumped out of their skin at Turk's bark. "SH-SH-SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT NOW!" Turk stammered venomously, frothing at the mouth. The three fumbled with their guns, clumsily taking aim. The silhouetted figure dashed to the right, slithering over the ledge. Laser bolts never had a chance to warm in the barrel. The three rushed to where the figure vanished, aiming down to where they would hang. They gawked dumbstruck. Nothing and no one was there. They faced Turk and shook their heads, mumbling incoherently in as to where it went. Whatever it was. Turk clawed at his scalp. He scrambled from left to right to comprehend…to GRASP that what he saw was… "It's not possible."

"But it is." Hondo chuckled darkly. He grinned hungrily to Turk. "And you're about to pay gruesomely for not checking for a pulse." Anakin and Obi-Wan felt their hearts pounding. _It can't be,_ they both thought. Their eyes moved to the top of one of the spires. A lightsaber was pulled from behind a tail cape. The figure leapt and landed with barely a sound behind the baffled riflemen. A red beam ignited. A crazed toothy smile highlighted by the crimson glow.

"BEHIND YOU!" Turk cried too late. The red beam cleaved their heads clean from their shoulders. Their bodies dropped like dolls cut from their strings. Behind them was the hooded figure, a familiar tail wagging animatedly. Shimmering grey eyes locked to the trembling Turk, and his two remaining men. "No...it ain't possible!" Turk's failing nerve shook his voice.

As impossible as must be to fathom, the proof was meandering toward them with Dooku's lightsaber, and Obi-Wan's just ignited blue saber in hand. Tanya Fett was alive. And the smile she wore during her kills was erased. Pure rage glossed brow to fang. Blood will stain this wall for all eternity. "Everyone is just so floored to see me today." She rasped in montone. "You morons, those two who dug me out." She'd thank them if they weren't drowned in their own blood. "And by the way," She cupped hands to her flushing cheeks, "Who knew having a bunch of crates fall on you could be so healthy for your complexion?!" She giggled, flipping her hair out. "But, suffice it to say, it's all past tense," She aligned the crimson red blade toward Turk, "Because Number Eight has again risen from the grave! And the reaper has called for new souls!" Her forked tongue lathered her lips.

"Impossible! You couldn't have survived! We saw you die!" Mahngo, Turk's second, boomed.

"How cute. You thought I was dead." She cooed mockingly. "As if something so simple could end my life!" She howled in crazed laughter, holding her stomach as she lurched forward. "Turk, seriously! Did you really not notice you've been down a man? I mean, come on…" She licked her fingers, "I thought Faldio meant more to you than this." Turk felt his blood run cold. Faldio hasn't checked in in over an hour. Clashiin and Rollo haven't reported in either. "I'll save you the brain strain. Faldio was kind enough to take the _fall_ for me. As for the two who came to dig me out. Well…" She twisted her left arm back, drawing the blue saber up, "Faldio didn't pass on alone." Obi-Wan's Lightsaber was sent flying. A blue blur pierced the air, and the man standing to Turk's right's head clean through. A trench was cleaved through his skull, brain and bone within charred black. Anakin and Obi-Wan's stomachs churned with nausea. Dooku cringed into himself. This...this isn't Tanya. A flick of the wrist and Tanya summoned the saber black, licking up the flesh she claimed. "You always did surround yourself with weak help, Turky." Tanya cackled. Turk was rooted in place. His body trembled uncontrollably. He failed to kill this beast. That failure is going to cost him dearly.

"When Hell spits out a being, it truly unleashes its most disgusting!" Hondo grunted rancorously at the animal beside him.

"Aww, no welcome backs for me, Uncle Ohnaka. I'm hurt." She feigned, touching her chest.

"Do not call me that, you filth!" Obi-Wan and Dooku winced at his snarl. Up until now he's been the doting Uncle. Now he's cold towards her. Odd considering she was presumed dead. Then again, was it really? Anakin may not be keen to it, but Dooku and Obi-Wan felt the malicious aura as they felt the heat upon their skin. The outlying figure was Tanya...the spirit something else entirely.

"Such cold words." She pouted, batting her big eyes. Those big, loathsome grey eyes. The thing that is borrowing Tanya's name snickered menacingly. She found her way to grinning at Dooku, Anakin, and Obi-Wan. The trio were entranced by her. She's laughing. Treating this all like a game. And after being pronounced dead. "All of these shocked faces for little ol' me. I'm honestly blushing." Her cheeks turned pink. She redirected her toothy grin to the aghast Turk. "But I have to thank you, Turk. Who knew how invigorating it was to be crushed under tons of supplies." She stretched and cracked her stiff body. Was a long wait. "Thank goodness the reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Tanya Fett is forever back from the grave!" She took a bow. This was her stage, and the climax has only begun.

"Why...why...WHY?!" Turk shrieked, breaking into a cold sweat. "Why are you here?! Why are you alive?! Why are you constantly standing in our way?!" That stone face he wore in his arrogance was cracking into a thousand tiny pieces. Turk futilely tried to pick up the pieces.

"The answer to all your questions is simple." Tanya folded her arms, letting the sabers lazily hang at her sides. She glowered with disinterest. "Because my mission isn't finished." Turk, Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Dooku gaped strangely at her. "There's a reason Hondo asked me back here. You see, he knows some of you aren't exactly loyal to THE CAUSE anymore." Turk gulped hard. "So I'm here to clean house!" She snarled. She shot her glare to a trembling Mahngo. "You're the last of the trash in my way." She growled.

"Wait! Please!" Mahngo dropped his gun, shaking his hands pitifully to stay her blade. "This was all his idea! He's the traitor!" He scrambled in clumsy steps back. Turk hissed through gritted teeth. "I never wanted-"

Tanya closed her hand. The whimpering pirate was clutched at the neck, lifted several feet off the ground. "I don't think I asked what you wanted. In fact," She closed her palm. His neck snapped and his body went limp, "I never cared." She wrenched her arm sideways, flinging his body off the wall. Two more lost their nerve and tried to run. Tanya lazily swung her hand. A strong breeze of force sent them hurtling off the wall and the rock solid ground of the compound.

"Remind me to NEVER drop ANYTHING on this crazy chick." Anakin implored the elder masters.

"Only if you inscribe it upon us." Dooku counter requested.

"Deal!" Anakin would shake his hand later. Meanwhile, though Dooku was enjoying the theatre, he needed to take this new opportunity to plot his escape. How fortune smiled upon him that the keys to linking shackles had fallen from a nearby corpse's pocket.

Turk was succumbing to his panic. He was alone. None of his men would be able to reach him even if they saw what was happening on the wall. And Tanya and Hondo would never let him call for backup. "Turk, Turk, Turk," Tanya crooned, "You always were piss poor at finding good help." She kicked at one of the bodies. "I mean, seriously, a bunch of traitors with the fighting capacity of school yard kids? Not exactly what I would call reliable."

"Speaking of treason, perhaps you can clear up a little rumor." Hondo grudgingly requested. "Turk assured me that the Republic double crossed me in our - _ahem -_ deal." He shot a glare to the Jedi and Dooku. Tanya followed his gaze, arching a brow baffled. "The crash in Doshar Fields he and his men went to inspect. Apparently an army was waiting and attacked them. My spice wasn't in tow."

Tanya's eyes widened. She turned to Turk, then to the trio of prisoners. That smile of hers was going to get stuck one of these days. "As sly as the Republic is," She sheathed the lightsabers, clipping them to her hips, "Padme, Mace, and The Chancellor are too soft hearted to pull a stunt like that." Turk clenched his jaw. "And if what I've learned is true - The Representative leading this merry band," Jar-Jar the ever kind hearted fool, "There wasn't an army at all. Just a motley crew of Clones and a clumsy as Hell Gungan." Long story short: Turk was taking Hondo for a ride.

 _Tsk tsk tsk._ Hondo clicked his tongue with a disappointed sigh. "Turk, my boy. You lied to me." He stepped forth over a body. His head low so Turk would not see the rage smouldering behind his goggles.

"Hondo, no. I...I..." Turk spun on his heels, breaking into a run. Hondo surprised everyone, except for Tanya, and lassoed Turk with a plasma whip, wrenching him onto his butt. "HONDO! NO! PLEASE! I DIDN'T MEAN-"

Hondo smashed the sole of his boot to the side of his face. Turk howled as he felt part of his jaw break on the solid stone. "YOU...LIED...TO ME!" He twisted his foot, grounding his skull to the dirt. "You try to kill my niece. You try to take my spice! And worst of all," He pointed to the spilled alcohol bottles, "YOU COST ME RUM THAT I HAD TO BLEED ZYGERRIAN SMUGGLERS DRY FOR!" Dooku, Anakin, and Obi-Wan deadpanned. He couldn't be serious. Looking over to Tanya and her not surprised expression, he was dead serious. There is so much wrong with this pirate. "I took you in! I gave you a home! And this is how you repay me!"

"I'm sorry, Boss! But we had to! They...they promised us riches! Places in their ranks!" _A place in their ranks._ Anakin and Obi-Wan mentally noted. Did he mean The Creed? No. He was talking about someone else. "We just wanted to make names for ourselves. Become more than just pirates!"

"Well...now you can be." Hondo gleefully retorted.

"I...I can?" Turk questioned. This had to be a trick.

"Of course." Hondo released him from his bonds. He helped him to his feet, dusting him off. "I have a special place for you, Turk. One that is right there beside me." He clapped on his shoulders, bringing a relieved smile to his cheeks. "Or will be…" Hondo backed away with spreading palms. One hand snuck behind his back. "Years down the road."

There was a click, followed by beeping. Turk looked around, voiding his bowels at the grenade attached to his waist. "No...WAIT-"

"A special place next to me in Hell!" Hondo revealed the trigger and released the switch. With Turk's final scream, an explosion blew him right off the wall. A corpse missing a majority of its abdomen now an offering to Florum's unforgiving wilderness. Anakin and Obi-Wan hadn't looked away for a second. They didn't even see the grenade until it was activated. Hondo is more terrifying than they originally realized. And now they see why Tanya cows to him.

"Now I see why Aurra fell in love with you." Tanya purred, her tail running along her tongue. "What about them?" She indifferently remembered their soured payday. Dooku, Obi-Wan, and Anakin grimaced.

"They are no longer worth the trouble they've caused." And the guillotine falls.

"Ooh! Yay!" Tanya whipped her forked tongue. She briskly walked to Obi-Wan, grabbing a fistful of his hair. "I've been waiting HOURS to do this!" She ignited his saber, aligning the searing blade to those frail veins in his neck. Obi-Wan glared defiantly into her eyes. He was taken aback. He hadn't noticed until now. Her eyes weren't purple. That means..."She never did have the spine to kill any of you." She crooned, practically giddy. "I guess I'll have to reinvigorate it for her."

"You...you're not Tanya...are you?" Obi-Wan rumbled between grunts.

The accused fake purred happily, bringing her face inches from his. "Tanya checked out. Now there's just me."

"And who are you?"

"Come now, Master Kenobi, we met on Aetha. And I'm certain a few witnesses from Xansa had nice stories to tell." Obi-Wan and Dooku bit their lips. They knew it. It's-

"Hey! Anyone else hear that?!" A pirate cried from below. Tanya, Hondo, and Company trained an ear. A very loud rumbling was closing in. What was that? Tanya set Obi-Wan down, meandering to the ledge with Hondo. Curious onlookers gathered close to the gates, readying their guns for the what lied beyond. Before any of them had a chance to pulled the hammers back, a gaping hole was blown through the walls. Large stone debris crushed those nearest the wall, the rest were blown away by the shockwave. Hondo, Tanya, the Jedi, and Dooku stared in utter disbelief. Three of Hondo's tanks came barging in, tearing the wall until a portion of it crumbled. The pirates in the courtyard were blown away, and sent running for their lives. Hondo and Tanya were seriously dumbstruck. Were the pirates inside so drunk they were firing in a frenzy? The cockpit doors opened on all three.

Tanya's jaw fell. "That's…" In two, clones emerged. In the last one that blew the hole in the wall in the first place...Jar-Jar came out. And he looked like a man on a mission. Possibly wanted to kill a person or two. Considering who should be driving that tank he's in...that might have happened. "Jar…Jar…? Ugh…" Tanya placed a hand to her head. A spiral of dizziness sent her staggering toward the edge. ' _Dammit! Out of time!_ ' Her eyes flickered rapidly between purple and grey. Hondo grabbed her by the arm, saving her from that fall. Two lightsabers, plus one more she hid behind her back, dropped to the ground. He cradled her in his arms, brushing hairs from her face. Her eyes fluttered open, their amethyst hue returned. "Huh? Hondo…" She moaned. "What...what happened? Where am I?"

As Hondo was about to answer, one of the lightsabers clattered and whisked right into Dooku's now freed hands. "As fun as this adventure has been, I do believe it is time I depart." He cut the link tying him to Obi-Wan and Anakin, taking in a victorious breath of free air. Tanya blinked totally confused. Dooku grinned smugly at her. "Thank you for clearing my barricades." He gestured to the dead bodies scattered about. Tanya recognizes her handiwork...but when did she do all this? "Gentlemen, and Lady, I bid you farewell." He bowed, then spun on his heels. He ran to the ledge, taking a headlong dive off. Normally this is where they'd run to see if he was crazy or not. Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Tanya knew better. Dooku would live to ruin their lives another day.

"Well, that's a bummer." Tanya moaned, lifting herself from Hondo's arms. "Now can someone explain what's going on here?" She pressed rather agitated. For good reason. "I was crushed under some crates a second ago, right?" Her body sure hurts like she was.

"What's happened Tanya?" Hondo groaned regretfully. He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing from her to the Jedi, then back again. He sighed defeatedly. He braced her for the bad news. "We aren't getting paid." Tanya's brow furrowed, her mouth slackening. They aren't getting paid? But...Jar-Jar was there...with the spice for...for the old man that just proved his diving skills.

"TANNY!" She heard Jar-Jar scream for her. He had tears of pure joy running down his cheeks. "TANNY! IT'SA YOU, TANNY! YOU'SA ALIVE!" He hoarsely screeched.

"Hey...Jar…" She weakly waved. There is Jar-Jar. There are the clones. That's likely the ransom strapped to the backs of the tanks. And the guy they are supposed to trade for that spice...is gone. Her fingers balled into electrified fists. Her ears erected to horns. The hairs on her tail fuzzed out. She threw her head back and screamed, "SON OF A BITCH!" Today royal sucked.

 **To be continued.**


	18. Somewhat Happy Ending

**Somewhat Happy Ending**

 **xxx**

A neon green star nestled between two crescent moons glazed the spires of a daunting, ivory, metal fortress. Leagues high did this fortress climb, the sundered and decimated roads of poverty invisible to the naked eye. The ebony sky in fear the fortress pikes would graze its underbelly. A large build, muscular man stood on a balcony. The star and moons reflected off the polished, magnesium alloy prosthetics making up 85% of his body. A golden cyborg eye combed fog riddled world which he called home. A dark chuckle of the nobility that lives near, and completely devoted to him, and sneer to the peasantry that grovel for a penny to be tossed from the heavens. He sipped his green martini, slurping up a fattened maggot used as a garnish. How he savors the misery that allows him to stand on high like a god.

"Lord Par Ceius, Sir. I bear moderately bad news." A man in a yellow and dark grey jump suit pardoned his unannounced entry. The missing sleeves showed off his traditional, bold inked tattooes on his toned arms. They started at his arms, continued to his face and ridiculously long ears. A similarly colored schemed gloved hands firmly grasped an automatic rotary blaster cannon. "News from Florum reached me moments ago. He strapped his gun to his back. A crimson red armor plating from his shoulders and collar to his torso magnetically held the firearm. The clacking of his armored calf leggings ceased as he stood at attention behind his master. The side arms inside the his holster weren't far from his folded back hands. "Hondo Ohnaka's compound was cleaned out."

"All of them, Erol?" The baritone Baron quizzed.

"None under the employ of that idiotic Turk Falso survived. Including himself."

Par Ceius rolled his eyes, sipping his drink as if he hadn't expected this outcome. "Do we know who has eliminated this expendable manpower." Expendable - yes, lack of cost - no. He supplied Turk and his men with the armaments necessary to remove Hondo from the game and take over his operations. He'd like to know who had the audacity to cost him this needless endeavor.

"According to reports…" He read what was transferred to his tablet, "Three Jedi, Hondo Ohnaka himself, and the Berserk Assassin."

"Two numbers and three Jedi?" Par Ceius exclaimed with some intrigue. "What would they be doing paired together?"

"It is rumored The Berserk Assassin was a Jedi." Erol reminded him. Par Ceius heard this. Till now he still doesn't believe it. "There's a more pressing matter." He redirected focus. "Turns out we got some pigeons returning home with some bread crumbs to our doorstep."

"Oh really?" He snickered darkly, facing his right hand man. "And who are these little Pigeons?" He cooed playfully.

"Confirmed are The Lost Mother, Izumi Rahn, and the Mandalorian Hell Angel, Boba Fett." Par Ceius knows these names well. The supposed wife of the late Jango Fett. May he rest in peace. And the prodigal son living in his daddy's shoes. A boy from what he has heard. But very dangerous, reportedly, when pushed over the edge. Some say he is capable of standing on par with General Grievous. He will have to confirm with his own eyes one day. As for Izumi Rahn, well, what he's heard is less than flattering. Possibly why she's returned to claim her place amongst their ranks. "There are others, but we have yet to identify them. They are going through remarkable efforts to conceal themselves."

"Let them conceal themselves for the time being." Par Ceius permitted with nonchalant wave of the hand. This is the part of the game he enjoys greatly. "We have confirmation on a portion of the motley crew. The rest will be revealed in time." All good things to those who wait, and all that. "Now these bread crumbs they are following, do they lead anywhere?"

"That has yet to be determined." Erol regretted to inform. "We should know more by tomorrow."

"Then let us be prepared." Par Ceius ordered. He gazed to the rumbling storm clouds gliding on the harsh winds. The flash of lightning contained within igniting his eyes. "A storm is coming, and we will be in the eye of it." Just where he like it.

 **xxx**

Back on Florum, the entire planet was writhing at the obnoxious sobbing of a Gungan General. "WAAHH! TANNY!" Jar-Jar smothered Tanya in a serpent tight hug, burying her face in his chest. "TANNY! TANNY! TANNY!" He wheezed, wrapping himself to her. His huge Gungan tears were soaking her hair. "MY TANNY!" Hondo, and the recently released Anakin and Obi-Wan stood off to the side snickering. Tanya managed to free her face, taking in a good breath and snarling at them. She will kill them for this.

"Jar-Jar! Seriously! You're drenching my hair!" She wrestled in vain to free herself. She forgets how deceptively strong Jar-Jar is. And she really doesn't want to know what stuff oozing past her nose it. It's really for the best that she doesn't know. And Jar-Jar snorting hard wasn't helping her queasy stomach. "Will you get OFF-OF-ME!" She shoved him off, growling as she dusted herself of his mucus and tears. She was going to need a three hour long bath. She picked up a rock and nailed Ryker in the helmet. She won't take his snickering either. The rest of the clones went silent. "Geez, Jar! I do need to breathe, ya know!" She fumed at him.

"Yes...yes...me'sa...me'sa sorry…" Jar-Jar cleared his throat, took calming breaths, and backed away a couple of steps. He's a Representative of the Senate. He must conduct himself in a professional manner. He smoothed his wrinkled robes, and held himself with a Noble's stature. Tanya weakened his resolve with her signature skeptics scowl. The one where she arches her brow, twists her lips, and folds her arm. She was counting down from three. Jar-Jar exploded into heavy sobs again. "TANNY-HEE-HEE!" He threw himself to her. The two hit the ground with an OOF! "YOU'SA...YOU'SA ALIVE!" He rubbed his face on her, his arms restraining hers to her side.

Tanya gave in to her fate and just let him get it out of his system. "What? Did you think I was dead?" She remarked with a playfully dreary tone. Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Hondo cleared their throats anxiously, turning away in embarrassment. Yeah. Everyone thought she was dead. "Sorry to...disappoint!" She managed to bend a knee and ick Jar-Jar off and into Anakin's arms. "Geez…" She dusted herself off, backing far away before Jar-Jar attacks her again. Under normal circumstances she'd be delighting in a hug from her favorite Gungan. But right now, as the Clones and others can clearly see, she isn't in the mood for delights. Why? Because today royally sucks for her!

"Well, Tanya, it would appear the deal has changed." Obi-Wan had to insert his own particular taunt. He's not above rubbing salt in the wound. "Your bargaining chip is gone, Captain." Hondo blinked irately. Obi-Wan gestured to the sniveling Gungan. "And you know she won't risk hurting him." Hondo rolled his eyes and bobbed his head.

"So let me see if I've got this straight!" She stormed over to Hondo. "I sweat my female extremities off eliminating Turk and his turncoats," She bowed her head and graciously gestured to Hondo. He played a vital role in those eliminations, "And going above and beyond to keep these jokers and the old man in check," Anakin and Obi-Wan felt rather offended being called jokes. Still, a lot less harsh than what Turk's men got, "Get crushed by five tons of your junk," Hondo scoffed. It is not junk. It is treasure. His mental protests were halted by her dragging him in close by his collar, "AND WE AREN'T GETTING PAID?! ARE YOU SHITTING ME, RIGHT NOW?!" She screamed his ear drums out.

"I am not." Hondo answered quickly and curtly.

"Dammit! This is why I hate you!" She shoved him away.

"I love you too." He teased, rubbing his neck. Tanya was fuming fire. The crap she puts up with for this guy is unbelievable. And worse still, she hasn't the slightest clue how she got out of there in the first place. She remembers being shot in the thigh. Sure hurt enough. But after that is a blur. "AND YOU ALWAYS GET IN THE WAY, JAR-JAR!" She smashed a fist right on his head.

"Me'sa sorry!" He cowered low, covering his head from her rampaging fists.

"Not as sorry as you're gonna be!" She tackled him, locking him in a choke hold. "I'll strangle you with your own ears!" If she doesn't just strangle him first. Obi-Wan and Anakin stayed Ryker and his troops, assuring them all was fine. Tanya was upset in the least. If anything, this is the happiest they've seen her since they arrived.

"Tanya! Do not have me put those cuffs on you!" Hondo warned. The game is over. She's getting way too out of hand. Obi-Wan and Anakin arched a brow at the mentioning of the cuffs. The ones meant to inhibit Jedi, or anyone who uses the force.

"I dare you to try!" Tanya invited. She threw Jar-Jar aside, hoisting him to his feet. He thanked her for not killing him. He should hold off on that. She's just irritated enough to finish the job.

"By the by," Anakin interjected. He kicked at his discarded cuffs, "Who built those cuffs anyway?" Hondo's breath hitched in his throat.

"What do you mean?" Tanya huffed annoyed, fixing her hair. She thanks the spirits her adrenaline was on overdrive. Fixing up her appearance took precedence over that bullet wound in her thigh.

"Who really had them made? And who asked that they be made for you?" He pressed, demanding a straight answer.

"Why so curious?" She countered impishly. "Hoping to reach out to me, Skywalker?"

"Answer me, Tanya!" He barked. He's in no mood for her games.

"First, tell me why it matters." She retaliated. Anakin but his lower lip. Steam was howling from his ears. He has a reason, but he's not obligated to share it. Call it morbid curiosity. Tanya saw straight through him. In his eyes was a strong desire to break the barrier that surrounds Tanya. See what makes her tick, and causes her to be what she is. Cold, merciless, and depraved. "Fine. I'll tell you." She acquiesced. Anakin's silence was all she needed anyway. She just hopes they're ready for this. She put on her most menacing smile and watched them closely, "It was Jango." Their reactions were priceless. They went absolutely blank with shock.

"Jango...had these made?" Obi-Wan reiterated, thinking he'd heard wrong.

"Yep. Said he got the plans from a rogue Jedi just a little after...someone was born." She caught herself before mentioning Boba. _A rogue Jedi?_ Obi-Wan pondered. And this someone. Was it Tanya? That wasn't the most pressing issue. Her father had these made for her. Must have been to control her outbursts. Did he really make them? Or did he commission another? He doubts she'll tell that part. "They work marvelously." She taunted them. Anakin was feeling an urge to strangle her.

"Tanny..." Jar-Jar snatched her in another hug. It was more gentle this time. He didn't hear a word that was just said about the cuffs. He didn't care. He's just so happy to see her. "Me'sa miss you so much! Me'sa knew would see'sa you'sa again."

"Yay…" She remarked sarcastically. She pat him on the back. "Ugh…some payday." She mumbled. Still, she absorbed in the hug. It was...nice. She lovingly embraced Jar-Jar. She really missed him. Hondo smiled with hope for her.

Jar-Jar parted from the hug, leaning to her height with glossy hope filled eyes. "You'sa come back to Coruscant with us, YEAH!" Tanya felt the reunion go sour. She should have seen that coming. "You'sa come home with us?" He nodded, encouraging her to come.

Tanya hated to disappoint him, "No." She moved from his hands. Her head was hung low in sorrow.

"What?" Jar-Jar squeaked sadly.

"I said no, Jar. I'm not coming back." She stated firmly, but tenderly for him. Obi-Wan and Anakin bit on their lips. They saw that coming a mile away. Even the response.

"But...Tanny…" Jar-Jar reached. She moved away, wrapping her arms to herself in a barrier. "Tanny, please. You'sa belong with us. We'sa you'sa...friends." That just royally pissed her off even more. Friends?! Them?! The same Jedi that lied, used, and toyed with her for a year? Hardly. She doesn't need them. She doesn't want them either. If she goes back, she'll murder everyone in that damn temple and then the Senate building. "You'sa our friend, Tanny. We'sa wanna-"

"You should really stop talking," She warned in a very low tone. Her slit pupils rooted him in place, "Before I throw you off this wall myself." Jar-Jar skipped back, going behind Obi-Wan and Anakin. For the first time, Jar-Jar was terrified of her. The two Jedi were equally stunned. She's threatened him before. But it's never been so sincere. No ransom, no deal - The Jedi, Clones, and Jar-Jar have overstayed their welcome. "Go home, Jar-Jar. All of you go home. Before you join Turk at the bottom of the wall." She marched off. She has nothing left to say to them.

"Tanny-"

"You heard the lady. Go." Hondo threw himself in Jar-Jar's path. The Gungan may have gotten the drop on a drunken tank pilot, but he doesn't stand a ghost of a chance against Hondo. "Take one of my ships in the yard and return to your home!" He ordered. Jar-Jar hesitated, battling between arguing and just pushing his way past. Tanya was taking a ladder down outside the wall. "Go! Now! Before my men remember their greed." Hondo growled. Jar-Jar sighed resignedly, giving up on chasing her. Tanya's made it clear. She doesn't want to go, and Hondo isn't going to let her.

"You're not going to let her come back, are you?" Anakin snarled.

"It is not by my will that she refuses to go with you!" He barked, insulted by such a tone. "Does the arrogance of a Jedi know no bounds?" Obi-Wan glared at his apprentice. That was a pretty arrogant statement. Hondo got in Anakin's face, erecting a finger. "Name one time someone has been able to make Tanya do what she truly desires not to." And with that, whatever arguments Anakin or Jar-Jar had were snuffed out. "Have a safe trip, Jedi." Hondo excused himself, having nothing more to say to the Jedi or their companions. The damage is done, and the points have been made. Now they must go their separate ways before more regretful actions are taken.

"Tanny...please…" Jar-Jar begged once more to the girl he saw vanishing into the rocky hills. She paused, but did not look at him, and then just jumped inside the rocks. Out of sight...and out of his reach.

"Come on, Jar-Jar. Let's go home." Anakin gently urged with a hand to his shoulder. No sense in staying where they aren't wanted.

"But-"

"Listen to us." Obi-Wan interjected his protest. "She isn't ready. And...she may never be." The reality hurts. Unfortunately, that is how it is. "But that doesn't mean...she might not check in once in awhile." He added with optimism. This brightened Jar-Jar's demeanor slightly, but not much. Tanya's gone to great lengths to stay far away. The notion she'll stop in for a visit…Jar-Jar didn't have high hopes.

 **xxx**

Tanya emerged from behind a boulder in the distance. A ship took off from the compound, vanishing beyond the orange clouds. And with it went the Jedi and Jar-Jar. Her heart was tearing with how she behaved toward Jar-Jar. She hurt him badly. But she couldn't go back. Not with how things are. She'd only hurt him, Ahsoka, and the others all over again.

"I'm surprised that you're still here." She rumbled, turning curtly to none other than Count Dooku himself. Figures he wouldn't be gone just yet. "I thought you'd out this place far behind your jet trail."

"Can't leave without admiring what an accomplished assassin you've become." He hummed smugly. "Your deception in the storage area even had me fooled. For a time."

"I take that to mean you weren't the least bit fooled by my death defying performance." Hell. She even fooled herself.

"Was it yours? Or was it HERS?" Dooku countered slyly, pressing a finger to her chest. A bolt darted straight into the depths of her soul, alighting to the leashed beast resting within. Tanya broke into a sweat, terror robbing her of color. _So it's true! She took my body for a ride again!_ "Oh-ho. You didn't realize it was your alter ego taking you for a ride. I wonder what else she does when you aren't conscious." Tanya curled into herself, her ears drooping as she took in his words. Meanwhile, he pondered on an interesting conversation he got to overhear. Tanya talking about who commissioned the construction of those neat cuffs. A rogue Jedi, and he near slip on a certain someone being born. Dooku did not miss the slip. In fact...it made him smile. _How could I possibly forget?_ "Interesting what we become when freed from our bonds, isn't it?"

"As much fun as it is to be around you, I've got some steam to vent." And an alter ego who's ass needs a serious kicking. "If you'll excuse me." She turned away on her heels, beginning to leave the smug Count.

"Aren't you the least bit worried about Boba?" He tried to take her in order to keep her attention. "He's been without his big sister for so long. He might be in danger." He crooned. He watched intensely for a reaction.

"He'll be fine." Tanya practically dismissed without a care. It startled him. "He's survived years without me. He can go another day or two."

Dooku leered suspiciously. And rather irritated. That isn't what he expected to happen at all. It appears he will have to try harder. "I should hope so." He grinned to himself, taking several steps back. "I'd hate for the boy I commissioned to be created to be killed so hastily."

That stopped Tanya in her tracks, turning her blood to ice. "The boy you what?!" She spun and he was gone. "HEY! DOOKU!" She ran to where he stood. She came to a drop deeper into the rocks but found nothing. He was gone. Like a phantom. A Phantom Menace. "The boy...he had created?" What was that supposed to mean? Tanya isn't ignorant of the fact that Boba is a clone child of Jango. Boba knows it too. He was barely a year when Tanya came into his life. But...what did Dooku have to do with it?

 **To be continued**


	19. What is Left?

**What is Left?**

 **Ok! Finishing the three fics mentioned before is taking longer than I'd like. So to show I haven't forgotten you guys, here's a brief filler. I do mean brief. This is just pure talk. Hope you enjoy.**

 **And you aren't mistaken. I got rid of two chapters - the A/N's.**

 **xxx**

Ridiculous. Absolutely, utterly, without a shred of doubt RIDICULOUS! Thousands of man hours Izumi claims to have put into her search for the Crimson Knight's base of operations. Thousands of hours she claims she spent researching the validity of the intelligence she received. Thousands of hours rumored to be put into revealing the whereabouts of the Hunters Creed's oldest enemy...and ten planets are the results. As said before...IT'S ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS! Boba is losing his patience in a rapid pace with all of this speculation, and theories with no sound arguments to back them up. Ten planets?! Seriously?! Izumi might as well have kept her mouth shut with results that pitiful. In the long run, all it served in doing is pissing Boba off.

Granted, the young Fett showed some sort of enthusiasm earlier on. Especially when talking with Tanya. Seeing as how she was equally pissed that she might be forced to encounter the Jedi sooner than she'd like. But this royally aggravates him. Who in their right minds calls ten planets progress? Last time Izumi came around, the number was 11 or12. In Boba's eyes, that isn't progress at all. It's just a lameass brush with a small miracle. And even that is laughing at them. What's their fall back again? Robbing a morgue for a dead body in hopes it'll lead somewhere? Why don't they go find a blind and deaf Wookie to help them find a tree in the desert while they're at it? This is, without a doubt, the most useless meeting he's been to! The information is worse. None of this is leading anywhere. So he has to do what he does best. Get the information himself. And what better way to start doing that than eliminating nine of those ten planets by studying this so called intelligence.

"Boba, please, be reasonable!" Izumi protested Boba's sudden packing. He was being reckless. The information they've gathered thus far cost Izumi the lives of very close friends. This isn't something she takes lightly in the least. And now Boba wants to go around these fellow hunters and question their work? Does he not have the slightest clue how dangerous that is? Bounty Hunters are very testy when their work is questioned. "These are our best leads!" She made the mistake of touching him.

Boba shrugged her hand off, glaring at her furiously. "They're always _our best leads_! They're always bread crumbs to something!" He frothed at the mouth, gettign really sick of that passive aggressive optimism of hers. She's always been that way. Calling utter failures hiccups in the road, deaths of members casualties of war that can be recovered, or labeling losing ground in their war a longer term trap. Just like now, it's all nothing! And he won't let her choking pride reiterate it otherwise. "But when we finally get to the end of the road, there's either a whole lot of nothing or someone is about to fit into a pine box! IT'S NEVER GOING TO STOP!" Fumes were coming from his mouth. Carver and Scroop were in awe of the brazen tone he's taking with her. Boba used to be more reserved out of fear of her when he was younger. Guess a lot does change in three years. "The Knights are always going to be ten steps ahead of us every single time! They'll let us get in close and then take off at the drop of a hat to somewhere else in the universe!" They're like moles in those subterranean train caverns. One usually means a hundred, and those hundred scatter in the blink of an eye when they are encroached upon. Finding a single one becomes a trial. "We're always going to be chasing our tails! Always forced to drop whatever semblances of normal lives we have in order to do the bidding of five people whose faces we never see!"

Izumi wasn't going to take being spoken like this lying down. Even if she does agree with him. "I understand your frustration! I feel it all the time!" He seems to forget, she's been doing this long before he was a twinkle in Jango's eye. Others longer than her. She knelt to him, wanting him to see she's on his level. "But this is what the Benefactors want." The wrong words to say. Boba bit his lip. "Once the Knights are dealt with, the Creed will be forever disbanded. Not rumored to be." The Creed went into a stasis that had the criminal underworld relaxing for a while. It was all a mask, really. A trick to lure the Knights out. Didn't really work too well. "We will be free one day, Boba, I promise." She reached to caress his cheek.

"Yeah right!" Boba slapped her hand away. Isumi was taken aback by the sting it left. And mildly irritated. "As if The Benefactors, who went through Hell and back to determine who the most dangerous hunters are, would simply let us walk away!" Please! Does he look stupid? People need to stop mistaking his youth for ignorance. Boba is wise to how the universe works. "Nuh-Uh! Dad always said a dog owner doesn't let their prized breed go! He puts them down when they are finished!"

Izumi groaned grudgingly. She rose to her feet, folding her arms with a pout. "Jango always was a pessimist." She grumbled.

"Being a pessimist kept him alive for years!" Boba roared. "He survived because he never took anyone at their word!"

"And look at where he is now!" Izumi blurted out in her rage, then quickly regretted her words. She clamped a hand to her mouth, dripping in sweat. Ice encased her spine to her ribs as she noted the hateful glares coming from Scroop and Carver. She takes off for years at a time, is absent when Boba and Tanya needed her, and has the absolute gall to insult their oldest friend. Izumi was about to excuse herself when she ntoiced Boba with his head down. A trickle of blood ran down his mouth from biting too hard. His little body was trembling. "Boba…" She spoke softly, trying to approach him again. "Boba, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Izumi words hitched in her throat. A shadow was looming near her cheek.

Izumi, Scroop, and Carver blinked for a split second. In that second, Izumi was sent hurtling across the room, barreling the couch over and landing with a painful thud. Plastered to her cheek was a searing red fist mark. Carver and Scroop were dumbstruck silent, and very terrified. When they slid their gaze back across the room, Boba's arm was fully extended, a fist still tightly clenched. Izumi was shaking as she struggled to sit up, climbing part of the way over the toppled couch. She was about to yell at Boba for attacking her. Her very breath was stuck in her throat. In his eyes was pure madness. His gritting teeth resembling fangs. Fire was fuming from his nose and mouth, his buzzing adrenaline creating this disdainful aura around him. And he had the whole room in pure silence. No one knows where this sort of speed or power came from. It was absolutely incredible. No one in that room knew Boba had that kind of power within him. When did he develop such ferocity? Guess there is a reason he was named number nine.

The extended fist resisted being retracted. Boba's soul burned for another shot to bash Izumi's face in. To feel her bones break beneath his fingers, listen to her beg for mercy as she regrets her words. Unfortunately...he has a job to do. There are the planets and a dead body that require his attention. A teaching a middle aged woman to watch her mouth wasn't going to expedite his work in the least. That said, he was able to retract his fist and quell the rage shaking his body. He faced Carver and Scroop, putting them both on edge. "Our plan is to steal a dead body from a classroom on Incarces, right?" His tone was that of a man. Stern, unwavering, and intimidating.

Carver cleared his throat, steeling himself. "Yes. The Body of Annalise Vanderpool - The Knight's Form Eight and proclaimed assassin." Killed several months ago during a failed raid with the Osmosian Thrax on Xansa prison. Keith Lightraid, the former warden, was revealed to be a member and taken to a prison on Coruscant. Annalise's body, seeing as no relatives remained, was left to the medical students who often study at the class inside the prison.

"Carver," Scroop spoke up, "Are you sure you can determine her whereabouts just from studying her?"

"Advancements in anatomy will allow me to - in theory - create a map of where she was born to the moment she passed." Boba blinked unimpressed by his fancy explanation, and wordlessly threatened him to simplify it. Carver took a step back, raising his hands. "That is an eloquent yes." He choked.

"And if that fails," Boba began again. Which he doubts will. Carver is an outstanding genius, "We always have Lightraide on Coruscant." He's rumored to be locked up in max security with minimum contact. The saem section Tanya was kept in. It's said to be worse than solitary. Tanya doesn't really talk about it, which just confirms how unnerving it must be. "That being said, Izumi," Boba turned to the now standing Mirialan woman, "Let's stop beating around the bush and get this started." He commanded. "And once we're done," He pointed a damning finger at her, "I want you to stay away from me and Tanya! Is that clear?"

"Boba-" Carver was going to plead with him. Boba put a hand in his face, not willing to be dissuaded by him.

"IS-THAT-CLEAR?!" He boomed.

Izumi remained silent for a long while, searching Boba's brimming golden brown eyes for the slightest hesitation. Any sort of weakness or lack of resolve she could use to regain her footing. This was, after all, an unprecedented fumble on her part. Boba, Jango, Tanya - no one has been able to lay a hand on her in years. And yet Boba sent her flying across the room. Moreover, the young boy was imbued with a new strength she didn't think he was capable of generating. The anger he's retained these past few years, plus the number of jobs he's undertaken with Aurra and Tanya - Boba may very well be letting his true potential through. A good and bad outcome depending who or what is on the receiving end. It's very likely he could go overboard, or he could rise in the ranks. Either way, it is in Izumi's best interest to not further aggravate him. "Yes."

"Good." Boba turned on his heels, storming out of the penthouse. "Let's go."

Izumi watched the boy - no, the young man - march away. She flexed her stiff shoulders, meandering after him. She paused in shock. Her eyes eyes widened, sparkling in awe. A silhouette of Jango marched beside him. The same stride, the same confidence - a mirror image of the man she professed to loving more than life itself. It hurt her. She clamped her hands to her chest. "Please forgive me, Jango." She pleaded. "I wasn't able to be there for them like you wanted."

"It was never about being there for them." Scroop educated her aggressively. He wasn't too thrilled with her either. "Jango, myself, Carver, Hondo - we all knew that Boba and Tanya didn't want there to be people who would coddle them. To safeguard them from the _scary universe_." He couldn't help responding in a sarcastic manner. It astounds him how narrow minded one of the Creeds' finest is. "All these two have sought is for people to see them for what they are."

"What they are?" She didn't understand.

Scroop took his leave, seeing that what he said was going over her head. Carver came in behind him, not going to sugarcoat his words. "When all's said an done, Izumi, Tanya and Boba are children." Just children. Nothing more, nothing less. "In spite of their training, the weapons, their ability to kill so effectively, they don't want anyone to forget that they are just kids." They had dreams and desires once long ago like everyone else. But these wars they are apart of robbed them of that. "Kids who fear they'll have no real place in life once all they've known comes crashing down."

Izumi was taken aback. Carver sauntered off after Scroop and Boba. Izumi remained behind, soaking in his words. "All that they've known…" That is a very depressing thought. All that Boba and Tanya have known is death, hardship, loss, grief, and combat. When the dust settles, and the war is over, and there is no more call for them to take up arms - what is left for people like that? What will be waiting for either of the Fett children in the end?

 **To be continued.**

 **Not much of anything. But I'm letting you guys know I haven't abandoned this fic.**


	20. Boba's Thoughts

**Boba's Thoughts**

 **Okay, because I am having issues with the next chapter - inspiration, writer's block, and other mental issues - I'm putting this pity chapter up so you guys don't think i'm giving up on you! I'm also trying not to delete this story for a gazillionth time for lack of inspiration. So, here's the pity chapter. Enjoy**

 **xxx**

 _Those three years on my own had to have been the most agonizing years I can remember. Since the day I was born, it's always been me, my dad, and my sister. Scroop and Carver were always around, but they never filled the void Dad and Tanya left when they were taken from me. I never really got the chance to know Hondo. Not that I really tried to. I don't like Florum, and the way Tanya talked about him...yeah, I didn't want to meet him. But he isn't the focus here! I didn't want him, Carver, or Scroop to fill my voids. Don't even ask about Aurra or Izumi. Those two couldn't be further from motherly or sisterly, or what I was looking for in a family! In truth, I despise those two. But Aurra was the only one willing to look after me. Doesn't change the fact that I grew nauseous every time I saw her brutally kill someone, or lavish in another's agony. Dad and Tanya were ruthless when the time was right, but they never found glee in the death of others. They had honor, integrity. Stealth was only for subduing those in the way of their mission, not killing everyone in sight...unless necessary. Never in the middle of fights did they take hostages in order to escape. Their morals and codes were held strong, never abandoned even in their darkest moments. Never killing out of hatred, for glory, or for personal vendettas. Yes, yes, we were going to kill Senator Amidala in her sleep, fooled the Jedi chasing us and tried to shoot them in the back. But it was a request from our employer at the time! Kill her quickly, silently, and without raising alarms. That Skywalker guy was annoyingly perceptive. The deaths on my dad and sister's hands, while unfortunate, have set the bar of their honor beyond the reach of all. That's why I want them. Why I need them. I wanted my dad and sister! I wanted the people who love me more than themselves back with me. But the Jedi took them from me. One was gone forever...the other on the verge of being gone. Not while I had anything to say about it._

 _Dad and Tanya were more than just my family in this crazy universe. They were my rocks, my guides, my saviors. Tanya was the one who broke it to me that I was Dad's clone. She found out on accident what I was and convinced Dad that I had the right to know. Anyone else would feel betrayed, worthless, or see no purpose in their life learning they were born from a machine. Honestly, I knew something was up with my birth when Dad refused to tell me about my 'mom,' and Tanya didn't seem to know if I had one. She assumed she died before I was born, and before Tanya was adopted. Anyway, I wasn't destroyed at all. No. I was proud. Because being a clone of Jango Fett meant I was the perfect envoy to carry his legacy throughout the ages. His skills would be mine, his strategic genius would be mine, his unyielding spirit would be mine. What also made this better, was that Tanya never treated me differently. Since day one she's always treated him like family. And I've idolized her as a role model. Some to aspire to be, and surpass one day. I know, but I'm the younger brother. I have to want to be better than my big sister. Can't live in her shadow forever. A shadow I truly missed._

 _Three years on my own...there's no reason for me to put on a face. It was hard. I cried myself to sleep every night. There were nights I'd wake up out of a dead sleep from a dream that Dad and Tanya were there. We were one big happy family again. Just living out our lives in our dream home on Kerwan like Lords and Lady. The Family name of Fett reining supreme in both circles of fame and infamy. Bounty Hunters by night, some...weird...form of do gooders by day. Not nobles. Too much bureaucracy. Tanya and i always late for school, Dad laughing at us as he sips his coffee and catches up on the news tablets. A strange white, picket fence life with a secret tunnel into our true hobby. Sounds corny, I know. But is it really so wrong that I wanted some sort of normalcy. That's what dad promised after the Geonosis job. A life where he can watch Me and Tanya grow up, and take solace in the knowledge he had prepared us for life. Just...not a life without him._

 _Tanya wasn't the only one to suffer a mental breakdown. While she was more violent, I became a shell. Dad was gone...gone on a job that he would never come back from. His head removed from his shoulders by Mace Windu. The same Jedi Master that robbed me of my sister. I couldn't focus, I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep. I'd have nightmares about his death. I'd wake up screaming because I would be in his shoes, taking the brunt of Windu's attack, while also seeing myself watching helplessly from the audience. I wasn't able to go into public for the simplest things without freaking out. The Republic's clone project had taken off...Dad's face was everywhere. His voice echoed. Everytime I thought it was him, I'd shatter a thousand times over when I realized it was a fake. And I hated them. I still do. I despise the clones. Every single one of them is a FRAUD! A copy born from a machine...like I am. My face would one day look like Dad's. Would I end up hating myself? There's no doubt. Will...Tanya be able to look at me? I don't know. The whole thing makes my stomach flip._

 _I couldn't begin to contemplate how I was going to live on. Tanya was my last crutch, and even she got taken. Leaving me to fend for myself. So what if Aurra was there! It wasn't the same! I wasn't prepared for life without those who made my life! They seemed invincible! Nothing and no one could touch us! We were the best of the best! The jobs we took barley serving as warm up for whatever main event would fall into our laps. Kidnapping? Cakewalk! Stealing back national secrets? Don't make me laugh! Sneaking into senates and posing as Senators? We created and signed a dozen of the bills passed on Naboo, Toydaria, in the Banking Clan, even left our mark on Mandalore! Don't ask me about our death toll. You might confuse us with reapers. We were the three most feared and unrivaled hunters of the lot. The rankings in the Creed we were strong armed to be part of meant nothing! Except when it became Embo, Bane, and Aurra in the top three spots. You don't want to be alone with them. Or have them catch you with your guard down. We were the Infamous Fett Clan. A name that would stretch from Republic to Neutral Zones to the Sepies. When you heard our name, you knew the situation was dire...and someone was going to be killed. Then...when Dad died...and Tanya got captured, that reputation died so fast on the wind that it might as well have never been etched._

 _We were a laughing stock for years! I'd say my name and I would hear the snickers and snorts. Fellow hunters would mock me as they passed by. I was in such a state I never bothered reacting. I just sank in my misery, let the isolation swallow me into this void. My blade dulled, my accuracy became piss poor - I let myself waste away. Aurra had to shoot me, blow me up, throw me off cliffs, and abandon me in various remote areas in order to break me out of my stupor. It worked eventually, but I never recovered. During my training with her, I'd make rookie mistakes, I'd mess up on operations, I even let plans for a job fall into the target's hands. I couldn't shoot the broadside of a barn house. Five year olds could whoop me in fights. Gradually I was getting back into my groove, but my slot as Nine in the Creed was in danger of being stricken from me. I was shaming them. What broke me out of this shell...was meeting Tanya again on Coruscant. The overwhelming hatred I felt for her abandoning me, joining forces with the man that killed our father, cleaved my doubts and that constricting veil from me. A fire lit in my stomach. And when we fought, everything I learned came flooding back. Yes, I wanted to kill her. At the same time, I wanted her to know that I missed her. That she betrayed me and Dad for people that will sooner see her rot in prison than become one of them. The Jedi only seek to do harm! They will never accept those like us in their ranks. Neither will the fascist senators they serve. When our fight had concluded, I dusted off my old armor, got dad's helmet, upgraded my weaponry, and I readied myself for the day she would come back. Oh yeah, I know she'll be back. She'll see that I'm the only one who will have her. Faults in all._

 _From then on I made my own name! I left my mark everywhere I went, ensuring none doubted that excruciating pain I could inflict. I would be seen as Death's Sion. All will quake at my name, and bow to my feet when I pass by. I am the son of Jango Fett, but I am THE Boba Fett! My conquests or my own, my skills are mine to hone, and my successes are derived from the blood and sweat drained from my own two hands. I am the Creed's Number 9 - the Ghost of Mandalore! None see me as I approach, yet all are aware of my eerie presence. You see me when I want you to see me, are blind to me when I command it! Through the crowd I sway, never disrupting their flow or alerting you when I am at your back. By the time you turn to acknowledge that sense of someone behind you, all you see is me and my armor, and then darkness as you succumb to the bolt in your head, or the dagger in your belly. Never let my position in the Creed fool you. I am more deadly than you can possibly imagine. Your shallow attacks go right through me, leaving barely a scratch, while I've just spilled your guts to the floor. Brutal, depraved, monstrous - damn straight it is. But it's necessary to make everyone know that I won't be trifled with. And to show Tanya she isn't the only one with a strong stomach._

 _Five months later, Tanya and I have been having a great run. We fell out of sync from being apart, but we've gotten our groove back . However, it might just be me, but there is a rift here. I don't feel as close to Tanya as I used to be. On missions, I'm always watching my back because I don't think she's there. I fear she'll sneak off again when I least expect it. Or that...that Assassinating personality of hers that was in control when I found her would try to kill me. Like she nearly did before. Worse still...sigh...I know she misses the Jedi. The friends she made in the Republic. I know she was close with two padawans, a lot of the clones, her master, that weird green Jedi that looks like a gremlin, that Gungan, and the Naboo senator. Tanya already tried to avoid any jobs that take her anywhere near Coruscant! I know its because she knows she'll end up being drawn back to them. She's unforgiving, but its her sense of understanding that curbs her. Her rational - if not unstable - mind will find some sort of logic behind Mace Windu's betrayal and she'll go crawling back to her people! And...she'll leave me...alone...again._

 _So far that doesn't seem to be the case. Two Jedi, the Togruta padawan, that Gungan, and Count Dooku reared their heads. She even spoke with the Chancellor of Coruscant, Amidala, and her old master. She got to mingle with the clones too. Too every single one of them who kept trying to lure her back to their side...she told them to leave or she'd kill them. And she warned them that she wouldn't be so kind on their next reunion. Do I believe her? I don't know. As I said, as unforgiving as she is...her nationality is what determines her next choice. And...I won't be surprised if I end up standing alone as she decides to go crawling back._

 **xxx**

A blue finger pushed a button on the Digital Diary, retracting the hologram of Boba back into its pixels. Tanya's woe filled eyes glossed with welling tears, her ears drooping in sorrow. Boba is able to update this diary anywhere so long as the device in use is synced to it. He updated this just after the failed hostage swap. She took the diary, hugging it tightly to her chest and curling into a ball on Boba's favorite chair in his room. She lied there crestfallen, letting her mind loose in the black void.

She's...she's a terrible person. A horrible big sister. No, she shouldn't have opened Boba's personal property - part of the reason she's disgusted with herself. But it was imperative she learned what Boba had been through this whole time. Not just what he's told her. What lurked beneath the lines. How he felt, how he coped, how he didn't just lie in one spot and die. What truly made her hate herself...was that she was so selfish to run off and leave him for her own revenge. To avenge yet another family member robbed from her. She wasn't the same helpless child as when her parents were killed. She would make Mace Windu pay...damn how she would leave Boba should she perish or be captured. She never thought about it for a second. She just wanted to make Mace pay. The end result...Boba was left as a shell.

He came out of it eventually, but that doesn't take away that he could have wasted away. Or that she broke her promise to her father that she would always take care of him. Boba's become comfortable with killing! His boastings aren't hot air in the least! She's seen what he's capable of. She knows he means what he says. He's become a ghost to his prey...and he is okay with it. A day she hoped would never come, but allowed to come when she chose herself over him. She just wanted her own pain to stop. To make the images of Jango's death, the death of her parents, go away. Never taking a second to realize she caused her baby brother even greater pain, put worse nightmares in his head, and possibly broke him. The brave face he's been putting on since their reunion fooled her into thinking it wasn't too bad. That she didn't hurt him in the least. Ironic given her quirk is sensing the suppressed emotions of people. It never turns off...and is at its strongest when she doesn't trust someone. Family, close friends, or those she respects escapes that view. She's blind to them. Precisely why hearing what he recorded in this diary tore her apart.

He's scared she'll leave. He's terrified her inner demon will kill him. He's certain...she'll pick the Jedi over him. All of these are possibilities...that...Tanya...wasn't comfortable saying my or may not happen. She doesn't know how long she'll be doing this. Doesn't know how long she can keep her murderous impulses at bay. Doesn't know how long she can stave off the Jedi before they - Ahsoka and Barriss mostly - try to take her back. Nothing is certain, but everything is possible. Tanya curled in tighter to the diary. Her lower lip quivered. Tears slid down her face, soaking into the chair. She squeezed her eyes closed, grounding her teeth so she wouldn't sob out loud. "I'm sorry, Dad. I failed you." She buried her face to the diary, shaking uncontrollably. "I failed Boba."

 **See! Crappy. But an update. ENJOY! Boba centric chapter is next.**


	21. Slower Updates

**Slower Updates**

 **Hey everyone! Another note that will be deleted after a while. So you better read it while you can. :) Anyway, someone made a comment that my updates are taking longer than usual. High time I expalin.**

 **Recently, my mother got laid off from her job, leaving me and my dad as the only ones who can win the bread in the house. So I've been working six to practically seven days a week, getting every ounce of overtime that I can in order to ensure my parents don't freak out over bills, and to make sure my little brother is provided for. Not to mention there are my own bills to worry about. Yes, I live with my parents. I'm not ashamed. It's cheaper and they need my help! Make fun if you want.**

 **Also I recetnly got a speeding ticket and into a car accident, so there's that. Anyway, updates will be slower than usual until things calm down. BUT I want you guys to know something. Since they do take a while, I always have a rough draft in place with all dialogue ready. All I have to do is insert the storyline. A few of you might know what I'm talking about. You've caught at the end of my chapters, sometimes, where I have extra paragraphs and sentences after the TO BE CONTINUED sections. Those are roughs and ideas that I have in place.**

 **Here's my plan for the next few months. Below you will see a list of fics I will focus. They will be ranked 1 through five. 1 being closest to being finished, 5 being not even close. I'll even give a number of chapters so you guys know what to expect.**

 **1) Star Wars Rebels - 10 or less chapters left. Any fillers I have will be placed inside my episodic inserts. I'll have them run long so I don't keep breaking them into parts.**

 **2) TF Prime - Reconcile of a sin - maybe another 12 to 16. I'll try to keep it to 12. Again, I'll minimize fillers by putting them with actual chapters.**

 **3)** **Ancestral Vengeance -** **Yeah, this one is a real ways off. Especially since** **I'm going down the line of Sly's Ancestors, and trying to create missions and a plot to fit what I have planned for the finale. It's hard, but it's fun.**

 **4)** **Windu's hunter -** **this is the second to farthest because** **I'm having a hard time with the chronology. As everyone knows, Star Wars Clone Wars wasn't chronological with the series, and it's making it hard to write this. Plus I keep losing interest in concepts and rewriting. Plus I need to put Boba and Jango in the spotlight in this one.**

 **5) Memories of Darkness - don't even ask because if you'vep layed 358/2 Days, then you know how long this will be. I may end up brekaing off somewhere at the halfway point of 358/2 days because, remember, Riku gets older and so does everyone else, and I didn't really like the transitions to the aging in the game. So, my plan with the break off is to star another Kingdom Hearts Fic titled Road of Darkness inspiried by Aqua's tale in Birth By Sleep Vol. 2. After that one, Memories of Darkness - which will be changed into Climb of Darkness - will pick up from where I left off and we'll go from there. I'm really stretching these because I need KH3 to come so I can make sure my plot goes right. I have big plans for Alirah and Hiano.**

 **Next on my announcements, once I'm in a better spot with all my fics, I plan to start new ones and revive old ones. Gargoyles, Xiaolin Showdown, Epic Mickey, Sofia the First, and maybe Black Butler will be revived. When? No clue. On the new list is Lion Guard, Elena, Avengers Assemble, and maybe a TMNT 2003. Those are my plans in the future. If you want info on any of these, hit me up in the PM's. I'm happy to share my ideas with you, as well as get your guys' opinions on them. All of you have been really helpful with ideas, cirtics, and just being overall great fans. I count on you for more than just reviews, you know. ;)**

 **I hope this satisfies you guys. I want to give yo uthe best I can and not go half assed just to finish. My creativity is suffering lately. I won't post anyting I don't feel is my absolute best. Writing is more than a hobby. It's a passion. And you don't treat passions poorly.**


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